


1984

by film_isastory



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Humor, Complicated Relationships, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, First Time Blow Jobs, Football | Soccer, Heavy Angst, History Class, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Movie: The Karate Kid (1984), Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Smut, keep your enemies close
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:53:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 21,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28797177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/film_isastory/pseuds/film_isastory
Summary: In the year 1984, Johnny and Daniel quote and unquote “friendship” is the least of their problems as enemies. When they try to stay clear of each other’s way well, fate has other plans for them. History Class Project, Soccer Team and Karate Competition; yeah what could possibly go wrong?
Relationships: Daniel LaRusso & Johnny Lawrence, Daniel LaRusso/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 129
Kudos: 122





	1. What could possibly go wrong?

The slick humid air of 1984 lingered in the white bathroom stalls. The humidity dawdled over the cement walls encasing the feeling of an increasingly heated oven. The feeling of being basked in a layer of warm moisture made Daniel feel uncomfortable in his red checkered flannel, as he continues to let the cold water coat his hands. 

His eyes capture how the mirror reflects the shiner on his eye, darker than appeared in the early morning. Perhaps it was the lighting, he thought. Tilting his head forward underneath the flickering fluorescent-bulb, fluttering flies taking charge against the electric currents. His thought proved wrong. Shit, he muttered underneath his breath. 

Turning the faucet off, he reminisces the memory of his mother’s face questioning with a hesitant expression in her eye - whether she believed his lied novelty or not, nonetheless he didn’t stay for breakfast or even much longer to find out. 

Much to his dismay, he couldn’t use the bathroom as a getaway car to escape around the bend of Johnny and his goons. With minutes to spare, pulling out his shades to cover the mark of Johnny’s fist, he headed out into the hallway opposite from where he first saw them amongst their cycles. This is the start of his final year of High School, no, he interrupted his chain of thoughts. It’s the final year of his new High School, a few weeks shy from turning 18 and he already had one altercation with an asshole (which did not even occur at school grounds), his thought finally concluded. 

Though, Daniel didn’t learn much of Johnny or his pose or even cared less to - rumors still flew and somehow landed within reach of his ears - _“Johnny’s an asshole, if you don’t bust his balls, you should be alrigh’.. I think.” Freddy said, hesitating with a touch of a laugh. “You’ll be fine”, he patted against Daniel’s shoulder blade. With reassurance he continues, “If you stay out of Johnny’s way and he stays out of yours, what could possibly go wrong?”_

Within their small chat, Daniel took in his neighbor’s advice, it still didn’t relieve an inkling feeling that lingered when he noticed Johnny’s physical-being within his proximity. _Whatever_ , Daniel concurred mindlessly still pacing through the hallway. 

In reassurance of his pathetic beliefs and the flown rumors, he stays out of Johnny’s way and he stays out of his, then what else is there to fight for. His mind reiterated like a looped rehearsal thought that keeps going on end, _out of his way and out of mine. Exactly. What could get worse than shunning his black eye with a pair of sunnies and a few bruised ribs. Out of his way and out of mine..._

Daniel knew he would be a belligerent idiot to believe his rehearsed thoughts, in that case, he was. 

Third-period History class, rows behind, he can feel the vibration glare of his opal eyes - whether that was possible or not - it didn’t matter to Daniel. All it took was for LaRusso to turn around and check out the clock that was hanging on by a thread above the door and his vision b-lined accidentally meeting Johnny’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> Hi, welcome to my first story The Karate Kid universe! Hope you enjoy it!


	2. Silverback Gorillas

Staring was well, an understatement with Johnny’s fingers flicking at his pen with hostility and the headphones lazily dressed around his neck. Daniel wouldn’t be surprised as if Superman's heat vision shoots out and disintegrate his physical anatomy right there and even then he probably wouldn’t be satisfied enough. 

If it was anyone else, Daniel knew his self-defense wouldn’t have hesitated to call them out - _whatcha looking at_ \- yet this time as their prolonged stares lingered too long. The aggression was noticeable. Neither of them was willing to look the other way; perhaps their egos stretched too wide or their primal instincts were to challenge one up to another like Gorillas. 

In the world of primates, staring is a sign of aggression. It’s an act of a direct challenge, no words needed, just an aggressive gaze to claim whatever turf is theirs. Only by looking away is choosing an act of defeat. There they are acting like silverback gorillas. That is until the history teacher, Mr. Harris ripped through the air with a violent cough vibrating against his ribs. 

“Lawrence, LaRusso enough with the Romeo and Juliet stares - if you wanna take it outside of my class, be my guest”, his voice states with a warning yet followed with slight undertone humor. Bellow chuckles followed from the classmates as they continued chatting over one another. 

“And lose it with the sunnies LaRusso - you’re not filming a Darth Vader movie here. Save it for the Halloween dance, alright?” Mr. Harris followed up with a displease gruff. Hesitantly, Daniel dropped the shades on his desk as a shade of rouge flushed his cheeks in embarrassment and annoyance flooded his breathing unevenly. 

“Class settle down, yes a few minutes left, but you aren’t going anywhere till the bell rings”, he states as his hand grasps the papers and waves through the air. “Shush”, he pauses, “The faster I finish this, the faster we can move on with our lives, can we”, he notes with a sigh, though the comment felt held another meaning. His eyes flicker over the papers before setting on his pupils.

“Now the annual class history fair-", interrupted with a series of groan and irritation amongst the class. Mr. Harris rolled his eyes in despair, “Yeah, yeah, yeah”, he mutters under his breath, “I don’t control the curriculum”, as he held his hand in defeat, whilst again shushing the classroom. “It’s an annual tradition, keeps you, generational folks, remembering our history of America, right?”, he pauses as if he’s thinking for a moment. “Like you think getting divorced a third time wouldn’t be an annual thing too but apparently it is..”, he says off-topic, “She also kept the car too and…my monstera plant - I mean who steals another man’s plant, damn it”, he mutters under his breath reminiscing.

The class is met with silence and questionable gazes. “I’m fine, thanks for asking,” he states mostly to himself whilst rolling his eyes. 

He continues with a scruff, “I talked with the history faculty and we felt it was best instead of you.. academic-inclined..” (a proper term for nerds), his hand gesturing to the right portion of the class, “always pairing up and t-the”, he paused looking up towards the ceiling, with a hand on his hip, “..the others”, he sighs, “always failing the class.” Stroking his stubble as his gaze lands on multiple peers especially towards the backend of the class.

“That it would be appropriate to be partnered randomly”, was met with groans, shouted comments, and fits filtered to Mr. Harris. 

He put his hand up in a stopping motion, “I’m not here for arguments, I already have enough of that with my wife, e-ex-wife”, he sighs with exasperation. Slowly the noises halted, “Be grateful, at least all of you will have a decent chance of passing the class”, his voice raised in the last part of his statement. 

“Here”, holding white a sheet with his scribbled writing whilst grabbing a magnet before placing it on the chalkboard. “Your names and of your partners, read em, breathe em and study with em’ I don’t care…Over there”, his head gesturing to the side of his desk, “The instructions, as usual, 15-minute presentations will be near the end of the year held in the gym, 30-page written report, presentation board..yeah yeah”, he says waving his hand. As if Mr. Harris knew, the bell was rung immediately to the end of his sentence. Immediately, chairs scrambled, books smacked onto desks and placed into bags, and the scuffing noises are raised again. 

Mr. Harris raised his voice as the students are scrambled into a line reading the names off of one paper. “Forgot to mention, soccer try-out last period - I have nowhere to be since my ex-wife took my car so be there or be squared”, he comments trying to sound hip, though met with a few groans of embarrassment. 

“What”, he states shaking his head questioning. 

LaRusso scrunches his face in amusement at Mr. Harris’ comment, as he quickly falls into the orderly-fashion line - trying to squint at the hung-up sheet. Anything to get his partial name written. His eyes lazily scrolled through the scribbled listed names. 

That is until his eyes did a double-take. His thoughts quickly reminisce his neighbors' voice echoing, _what could possibly go wrong?_

“I-Mr.-Mr. Harris-", his voice cuts off with a substantial amount of displeasure with surprising revelations. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> When I finally use my education on primates for something lool


	3. Buddy, "a close friend"

Daniel felt as if his mind did a 360-turn mind-acid-boggling trip, jumping over tracks and stoned walls - anything to grasp onto what had just happened. He felt like he should take a hammer to his head to stop with the frantic and mindless bickering in his brain. The endless thoughts of just: _what the fuck just happened?_

How can a few minutes of your life determined the rest of your day or in this case the rest of the school year? Of course, Daniel felt like he should've seen this a mile away. _Some things couldn't just well be left alone, could they?_

 _No_. Is the word he hears Mr. Harris say.

Their feet drag through the school’s hallway chasing after Harris. “What if I find a partner to change with? I’m sure someone else will take..”, Johnny states gesturing his forearm to Daniel’s physique with a mocking tone as if he was not in their presence.

Harris’ feet halted that was once inside the tiled floor now placed onto the cobblestones outside; forcing Daniel and Lawrence on the opposite sides of him clipping onto the side of his shoulders.

A sigh escapes his throat, clearly tired of hearing the last five minutes of them pleading. “Lawrence that seems like a great idea,” he exclaims cheerfully with squinted eyes, adjusting his frames.

“Now what do I tell all the other classmates of yours? They can change their partners too?” his voice clearly laced with sarcasm. “If I change yours”, both of his hand gestures between them, “then everyone will ask to change theirs too,” his voice states with an edge. Daniel notices the frown lines on his face are more pronounced in the outdoor lighting. As his mind continues to do jumping-jacks - anything to say and anything to do get out of this.

"Don't you guys have a class to go to? Don't be so beat over this", he states with a mutter. "It's just a project - not as if your life is being flipped upside down isn't it?... At least you're not sleeping in the faculty office", he says mostly to himself.

Johnny’s expression faulted replaced with a calm-aggression - using his temperament and bared knuckles holding onto the spine of his binder as if it was his opponent’s neck or somethin’.

Whereas, Harris’ feet continue to pace on the broken cobblestones, cruising through paths leaving them behind. Pondering why he’s a history teacher again. _Good pay? no, definitely not, he answers mindlessly._

“Oh”, Harris says as he noticed they quickly ushered to his side, “You are still following me, LaRusso, Lawrence”, he mutters under his breath as his feet stop again.

Daniel opened his mouth before closing again. He didn’t know what to say.

His thoughts rendered, _how do you tell your teacher that your partner is an asshole cliche-school bully whilst he was standing within feet next to you. And you’d rather jump in front of a moving bus than sit and have a chit-chat with..him._

_Well, apparently you just don’t._

But he tried, with his eyes. Gesturing back and forth between Johnny to Harris - with that _stared-plead_ look, though somehow translated differently. Harris caught on clearly disturbed by Daniel’s frantic eye movement. Whereas Johnny has that what-the-fuck-are-you-doing expression painted over his face. 

“LaRusso, stop with the wild eyes, you’re freaking me out right now”, he says with a disturbed tone. There’s a pause, just there, and then Harris clicked his tongue with the a-ha moment.

Johnny continues to gaze over to LaRusso’s noticing his shiner, much more gruesome in the natural lighting. Though unbeknownst to Daniel whether he wanted to start another karate fight right there and then or just another silverback gorilla aggression game. He refused to meet Johnny’s gaze. _I’m not playing your bullshit game_ , he thinks to himself.

“Ahh, I see what’s going on”, he slightly exclaims as if he solved a grand puzzle. A finger pointed back and forth between their figures as they continue to stand on the opposite side of Harris’ frame.

Contemplating in realization how they can stand within steps of each other, as result, their feet inched away from one another. It was a choice, a noticeable one that made perfectly and crystal clear to the both of them.

_But not clear enough for Harris._

“You do?”, they questioned in unison. Johnny’s glance continues to overlook Daniel’s squinting as if a light slightly blinded his vision. Perhaps despised that they even matched tone and words they spoke at the same time.

“Yes. And I get it”, he says sighing whilst placing his hands on Johnny’s and Daniel’s shoulders. “Awkward-friends stage moment”, he pauses, “Had many moments of those”, he chuckles mostly to himself. _Awkwardly._

“Look on the bright side, you’ll become buddies soon enough,” he says with a chirpy tone smacking their shoulders in unison. Johnny silently mouths the word buddies, as if he was testing how that word rolled off on his tongue. As Daniel’s face inwardly flinch at the triggered word. _Buddies._ “Yes, means a close friend. Look up in the dictionary once in a while, Lawrence.”

He continues, "Wonderful", laced with a monotone-sarcasm, "I weep for the future. Honestly." As his gaze overlooked how Johnny and Daniel staring at one another. _Teenagers_ , he thought. 

The moment that was once an overlooks squinting and questionable gaze have now turned to an aggressive, hostile stare. _Again with the silverback gorillas._ It was there, in that provoking small exact point of time, their world forcibly now aligned.

_For once, in a silent agreement, they knew they could never be friends._

“Now where’s my car keys”, they hear Harris questioning as his words and realization was a death-blow, “Oh..right, my ex-wife.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	4. Blondie.

“What are you looking at LaRusso?”, Johnny questions with an edge to his voice. His wet feet pattered from the shower tiles as he exits onto the concrete floor. Daniel sighs from resentment, clasping onto the layers of towels in his hands, leaning against the white-pale wall fully clothed. Laced with courage and drenched with exasperation, his gaze lazily combs over Johnny’s naked bod - from his bare feet, cock to his blushed face.

His tense expression now fades into a sheer of... unsettlement? Self-consciousness? Surprised that Daniel’s eyes broke an unspoken rule amongst the locker room? Daniel couldn’t tell.

Here he was, in a form of punishment that was resulted from Daniel tackling Johnny during soccer practice. In his defense, Lawrence started with his snide remarks that made his way into LaRusso’s ears. With the ramification of his insults, of course, Daniel felt it was needed to ‘rough up’ on the playing field. A little push never hurt anybody or so he thought.

In other words, what started with a little push ended with a full-on brawl with two silverback gorillas fighting over their turf.

The repercussion of their actions landed LaRusso and Lawrence with locker duties, _whatever that meant_ , Daniel thought.

“Maybe this will force you guys to overcome your differences”, Coach Harris mentioned in the midst of his speech. Disappointment washed over his face. Cleaning lockers, organizing his office, and passing towels after showers for the next month was the result of their altercation.

An echo of a slap sliced through the air.

Daniel used his right hand to slap the towel against Johnny’s chest, whilst almost losing his footing. “Nothing.”, a scoff fell from his throat, his eyes rolled in annoyance. “ _Absolutely nothing at all, blondie_ ”, Daniel continues with an eyebrow raised clearly insinuating and insulting with an undertone.

This was the longest conversation they had in a month and a half. After the chatting or merely the stalking-pressured argumentative conversation with Mr. Harris about their partners, words were barely exchanged.

Though, blunt stares were reciprocated. In the cafeteria, history class, or even the long length of the hallway - their gazes landed on one another longer than usual. _Almost taunting to see who would falter first._

In this case, Daniel’s ridiculing and mocked tone using an insulting nickname, ticked a nerve in Johnny’s expression. His cock unexpectedly twitched to Daniel's voice and his lips curled around the word, _blondie_. The paleness of his knuckles wrapped around the towel, still standing nude exposed to the cold air, debating whether to give LaRusso a shiner to match his faded one.

“Johnny”, Bobby mutters under his breath, shoving his backside. “I’m getting fucking cold, move”, as his hand reached for the towel in Daniel’s bowl of arms. In the midst of his exchange, Johnny wrapped the towel around his waist, his mind reeling with his half-erection.

Feet pattering down the hall to his locker, “See ya’ later, partner”, Daniel’s New Jersey accent ringed through one ear to the other. As if Daniel couldn’t fucking leave well enough alone. His gaze lazily dressed over Johnny’s shoulder blades, the way how it tensed - made it clear to Daniel. Somehow in his twisted mind, it was satisfying, to catch the sight of how Johnny fractures underneath Daniel’s words. His lips curl in his sick-twisted humor. It was then he realized the gratification and fulfillment of pushing and string-pulling Johnny's emotions as if he was some perverse puppet-master. 

Johnny couldn’t care less about his words, it was factual they are partners, whether they like it or not. It was the way how Daniel enunciated the words. Laced with Teasing. Mocking. It was as if his words were a stick to poking a bear. And as if he knew the words pushed him like buttons to only and hopefully snap. And he did.

He can feel the flick of his wet blonde hair against his forehead as he quickly turned to notice Daniel’s Cheshire smile. As if his body couldn’t help, he slightly pushed Bobby out of his way earning a grunt from his lips, “What the hell Johnny”, he states more so annoyed than out of surprise.

Almost charging at LaRusso with his tight fist, who by then dropped the handful of towels landing at his feet startled.

A voice roared a few feet away,

“LaRusso, Lawrence office!”, they hear Harris’ voice from his office.

What the fuck now, Johnny thought, his physique halted as if he got caught red-handed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> Come over, if you want to chat or say hi!


	5. 5:56pm

The teeth of his fork poked the green peas laying on his plate before him. Strumming his foot against the hardwood floor as Daniel’s voice rambled on narrating to the mother of his exaggerated version of the story. 

“…he basically forced us”, Daniel’s voice claims with exasperation, stuffing a piece of chicken in his mouth. His mother, half-dwindling with her glass of wine, whilst reading the flimsy magazine, in and out of attentiveness for his son’s rambling. “The teacher?”, she asks in confusion, her gaze still lazily reading the gossip column, _1984’s Top 10 Best Hairstyles._

“Teacher-coach, same difference”, he states mumbling, chugging on his glass of orange juice whilst wiping the stain that remains in his inner lips with the pad of this thumb, he continues on, “I just don’t understand why I’m stuck with _him_ as my partner and now-“, he stops as if the words he’ll say will make him vomit his dinner right there and then. 

He stares at the little leftovers, the edge of the knife picking at it, not feeling as hungry once before. The feeling of agitated loomed over him. 

“Look at the positive side”, his mother’s voice laced with comfort and an optimistic attitude. “L-like what”, Daniel mumbled over his chewed pieces of meat.

“Maybe something good will come out of this”, her eyes peered once above the magazine’s centerfold meeting Daniel’s gaze. Before continuing, Daniel’s mind raced a thousand miles before hers, “Please, don’t say frie-”, she interrupts her son, “Friendship”, her hand holding her wine glass raised in the air as if it was a given sign from the universe. 

He rolled his eyes in response, hoping she didn’t catch him, “He gave me a black eye ma’”, he says defensively. “He apologized”, she retorted - as if the issue at hand was fixed long ago. 

He puffs a breath, “Yeah”, he pauses, “After he was forced to.” 

His mother tsk-ed in response, as if she concluded in her mind that Daniel was over-reacting. With reason she says like it’s factual, which in some ways, begrudgingly to Daniel it was, “Now like you said, the coach - wait - teacher?”, she pauses, “right he’s both - so confusing”, chuckling to her own comment, “Harris, paired you and Johnny as team captains.”

Daniel notices the alcohol is making its way into her ma’s brain. More loose and incoherent by the minute. “More like forced us”, he mutters under his breath. “Regardless, I think it’s a good idea for the team, forcing you and Johnny to work as a team”, she says ignoring Daniel’s muttered comment seconds ago. 

He sighs as his gaze landed on his mother’s magazine folded in her hand. “That's what he said, “Put your differences aside and make-do sacrifice for the team”,” Daniel says with a deep voice imitating and mocking Harris’ tone. His thoughts flickering at the memory of the way his eyes narrowed between Johnny and him. His eyes basically said, _don’t you dare fuck this up for me._

His mother’s voice perked, resulting in Daniel’s snarled upper lip, “See exactly. Mr. Harris knows exactly what he’s doing. What could possibly go wrong?”, she concluded with a sip of her wine. 

Knife and fork released from his hands onto his plate, “Why do people keep saying that?”, he says laced with frustration. 

The mother not giving in to Daniel’s over dramatic-en-scene-comment. “Now, what do you think of number 2?”, she states with her coated red nails pointing to an image of a hairstyle. “It’s fine”, he says with a monotone. Grabbing his own plate and utensils, kicking off his chair, and setting it into the sink. His eyes flickered to the watch resting on his wrist, 5:56 pm. 

“Have to go ma’”, he says almost rushing out of the kitchen to his room. 

Her voice carried into the hallway, “Have you decided on your costume for the Halloween dance?”

An annoyed grunt-groan leaves his lips, remembering a week ago of fitted arguments in the costume shop - _I think that’s too violent Daniel? Hun are you sure this even acceptable to a dance? no. maybe._ _Look at all the blood. Now why you want to dress up like that?_

“Yeah, a shower”, he states giving up, swiftly grabbing the history notes he collected. His feet re-entering the hallway meeting his mother’s figure still plotted once before. 

He can see the confusion painted on her face, mouthing the words, _Shower._ Staring at her glass, questioning herself if she’s drunk or really heard the word shower. Before analyzing as if it's a secret word for an elaborate scheme, eyes narrowing and shrugging as she took another sip of her glass. 

After leaving a kiss on his mothers’ cheek, continuing to hold the grey binder under his arm whilst heading for the door. 

“Tell Johnny I said hi”, his mother’s voice echoed, _too_ cheery for his liking.

A grunt leaves his lips as his hand palms through his jet black hair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> Let me know what you think? If you wanna chat or say hi, comment below or head over to Tumblr!


	6. locker room talk.

The racket of the locker room has faded in and out as the teenaged boys continued to scrummage their cheap gossips of girls, sex, and hang-outs. Lockers slammed, feet pattered leaving, gi uniforms discarded into bags, and the overworked-stressed sweat lingered in the air. 

Jimmy’s voice echoed down the corridor as his hands fished into the arm of his red jacket, flinching to the sore of his bruised torso, “Johnny, Bobby, you guys coming to the beach or what? Tommy has the beers.” Bobby looks up from adjusting his jeans, whereas Johnny is seated on the bench, towel in hands ruffling his wet pale blonde hair. 

“Erm, I don’t know, my mom gave me hella shit last time. Coming home drunk n’ all”, Bobby says with uncertainty sighing, whilst doing last apparel adjustments. Bobby gazes over Johnny, less than a foot away, his nude feet kicked his ankle, looking for a response. 

Johnny looks up, towel falling into his palm, almost with an oh-yeah after thought expression, “My dad wants me home n’ shit”, he lies adding mumbled incoherent words. Clearly with enough conviction expressed to the other boys. _Don’t bother askin’_ voice. 

Bobby’s brow furrowed in confusion, though letting it go. He continues to put on his favorite band t-shirt whilst telling their mates, _next time._

Johnny shuffles out of his towel, grabbing the undergarments from his locker. As a cough rips through the silent air, he turns to realize Bobby was sitting fitting into his white socks. The locker room fell silent again, everybody has left, Johnny notices. 

“So where are you really going?” Bobby says adding a silent, mmm. 

Johnny’s eyes close as his hand flung the towel back to the bare bench, trying to locate his worn-out jeans. With a huffing breath, knowing that he couldn’t really lie or even try to - he guesses in some ways, Bobby can always smell out his shit. And in this case, it was one. 

“Meeting LaRusso”, he mumbles, hoping it didn’t catch Bobby’s ears. 

It did. 

A _very_ hesitant, “ _Oh_ ” leaves his lips. Not knowing what to say or ask, Bobby’s hands lay on the cold bench, eyes flickering to Johnny’s figure, who pretends to be occupied, then to the grey locker doors. Bobby’s mouth hesitated whether or how to ask the reason, regardless Johnny beat the punch to it before he could. Which in hindsight, Bobby released the tension in his shoulder he didn’t even know he was holding onto. 

“It’s for the stupid history project thing”, Johnny says filling in the awkward silence. With jeans in hand, one leg stood in after the other as he looks at Bobby who heaves a withholding breath, “Oh yeah”, as if his mind concluded an answer to his pondering questions. “You know I got the blonde chick, Cindy”, he follows with an exaggerated grunt, “Such a babe.”

“Isn’t she dating some football dude?”, Johnny asks to make conversation, though couldn’t really care less. “Yeah” he follows with an annoyed mumble, “George. Who names their kid George? He’s practically asking to be beaten up, ya’ know.” Bobby shuffles his feet into his untied shoes, “Whatever I’ll swindle her”, earning a scoff, half-laugh from Johnny. 

Johnny fiddle with a T-shirt over his wet hair, annoyed with the still-damp skin from the shower, “What you guys are gonna be doing anyway?” Bobby asks laced with curiosity, standing up staggering to his open locker. 

A huff parted his lips, “Beats me” he pauses, thinking. “Have to meet him at the library?”, almost questioning to himself as if it was a real place or _whatever_. “The library? - wait, there’s a library around here?” Bobby questions with a half-surprised toned expression. “Yeah, right man,” he says agreeing whilst combing through his dirty gi uniform, annoyingly shoving them into his bag. 

Silence lingers in the air. 

Silence can be a weird thing, you know. There’s a _comfortable silence_ in which no words or voices are needed because that just shows how congenial the environment feels. Then there’s the _uncomfortable silence_ where words and voices are needed, yet no one knows what to say. 

Somehow, this fell in between. Words wanted to be said, but was it really needed to be said is the question. 

As Johnny zips his bag, flickering his eyes searching for his jacket, only to realize it was in the bag he just zipped up. Grudgingly, he opens the bag again. While Bobby dances around the pondering comment in his head, debating whether it was an appropriate time or not. 

“Johnny”, he says, purposely fiddling with his own bag to lessen the noiseless atmosphere. A hum leaves his lips in return. “You know if you like the dude I-”, Bobby’s voice gets interrupted by the slight push of Johnny’s hand to his chest. Not in a threatening motive, but rather as in _shut-up someone will hear us._

“Don’t say shit like that, jus-”, Johnny interrupted his own voice, eyes rapidly gazing their surrounding environment, as if someone can walk in any moment, especially Kreese, he thought. Looking from one side of the corridor to the other, empty and noiseless. 

“Hey hey, it’s just me,” Bobby says defensively as his eyes suspected their surroundings as well for reassurance. It was silent again. Johnny steps back, grabbing his signature jacket that fell from his hand. 

Feeling safe to speak, “I’m just more surprised that he’s your type is all” Bobby pauses, “I mean..he’s a bit scrawny, you know?” Finding words to describe Daniel was a bit more difficult than Bobby thought. “Maybe a little up-tight too”, he mumbles without thinking trying to find his cap. 

Johnny doesn’t comment avoiding Bobby’s gaze. 

“What happened with Ali?” He asks figuring he wasn’t going to budge about Daniel, perhaps not for now. 

Hands pulled into his jacket, he replies, “I don’t know man... She isn’t talking to me, I-” Bobby interrupts, throwing Johnny into a whiplash, “Do you think he swings that way?”, he says nonchalantly staring obliviously into the air as if there was a ghost he was speaking to. 

Locker slams as Bobby mindlessly flinch to the sound, his gaze sees the way Johnny tenses, “Chill, I’m just looking out for you man” he says patting his shoulder, nearing his figure, almost whispering. “You know the past weeks Ali’s been eye-fucking Daniel, while he’s eye-fucking her, and you’ve been eye-fucking him”, he snickers to himself as if it was an inside joke. “It’s like a threesome - get it...Except they don’t know you exist in the picture”, he says with hesitation, scratching his jaw thinking too much on this topic for Johnny’s liking. 

Johnny mouths agape before closing again, head shaking whilst fiddling for the strap of his bag onto his shoulder. Not leaving it alone, Bobby leans on the closed metal frame, “So what are you gonna do?”, he questions. 

Johnny's eyes stare into Bobby’s, “Nothing.” A surprise feign overtakes Bobby’s face. “Nothing.”, he mocks Johnny, “Are you sure? I don’t know man, knowing you, it might blow up in your face” he warns. 

He rolls his eyes in return, his feet shuffling into his white sneakers, struggling for words, he hesitated. “I-I-h-he might not even - swing” he pauses as his opal eyes once again did a double-take of his surroundings, “You know”, he whispers harshly not daring to finish his sentence. 

“Right”, Bobby muses in agreement, as he noticed his thinking-face. “What” Johnny states simply annoyed at his expression. He shakes his head, amused at the thought, “Who you’re more jealous of?”

“Of?” He questions begrudgingly quickly tying his laces.

“Yeah, like Ali’s into Daniel, and he’s into Ali - you know and then there’s” he gestures to his figure, “you not getting either” he states as a matter of fact. 

Earning a smack of his tongue over his teeth and a rising glare, Johnny grabs the towel that once sat on the bench smacking Bobby’s chest. 

He raises his hand in defense, “I-I-hey, I’m just stating the facts here.” 

“Whatever” Johnny mumbles walking past him throwing the towel into the basket. Their feet shuffles nearing the exit of metal lockers followed with their usual handshakes of goodbye as Bobby says his last comment, merely to irk him. 

“Tell Daniel I said hey man” too teasing and mocking for Johnny’s liking.

An annoyed grunt leaves his lips, “I regret telling you anything”, he mumbles whilst the palm of his fingertips combs through his damp blonde hair. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> always felt like there needed to be an unexpected-expected locker room talk somewhere in this story lool


	7. quiet.

His feet tap against the carpeted floor as his pencil anxiously drums against the spine of his binder. His eyes surveyed his surroundings, well-lit lights exhibit the endless rows of bookshelves, the light hardwood tables scattered, one occupied with two girls, and pale cement walls to match the depressing aurora. It was quiet, perhaps _too_ eerily quiet. And in a lot of ways reminded Daniel of the library he visited frequently in his hometown.

He notices 7:58 pm written on his watch. A sigh leaves his lips as the pencil continues to aggressively smack against the forefront of his binder as if it was his personal drum. A librarian caught Daniel’s wandering gaze, she narrowed her eyes in suspicion gazing from the endless tapping pencil back to his eyes, as if she was signaling him to stop with the racket. In embarrassment, he smiles awkwardly and apologetically though earning a pair of rolled eyes from hers. She scurried away with a huff and brazen shoulders attitudes attached propping books onto the shelves.

His hands lazily rub over his face, annoyed by the well-lit ceilings. The pencil leaves the grasp of his fingers, as he slams the cover of his textbook closed with an uncontrollable and tired huff leaving his throat unintentionally disturbing the silence.

An aggressive hush of fingers to her lips responded across at an angle, from a smaller table. One of the two girls pinned up oval-rimmed glasses and scrunched hair clearly drenched with aqua net hairspray. So frizzed out, looked like she was electrocuted, Daniel thought to himself. In retaliation, his hands' gesture in the air as some-sort-of apology earning a smack of her bubblegum ignoring his attempted reparations for his unpremeditated disturbance.

Just as Daniel was about to stand from his chair with a pencil in hand to gather his notes, from behind a slight hostile-rough forearm wrap around his throat into a chokehold. His pencil flew across the library smacking against another table. The circumstances lasted only a matter of seconds, yet felt an eternity to Daniel as he expressed a shocking heave expanding his lungs with fright. Eyes enlarged and a slight shriek escapes his lips; with self-defense technique, his hands shot up grabbing its occupant’s wrist though it was let go from their side.

A whiff of clean fragrance entered Daniel’s nostrils as from the corner of his eyes, he sees a blonde fringe and pale skin, now peering right in front of him across the wooded table. “See you’re not practicing LaRusso”, laced with ridicule? He wasn’t able to grasp his tone.

An out of breath leaves his lips, now realizing what happened in a matter of seconds. _What the fuck,_ he thought.

An echo snapped from Daniel’s rising aggression, _again_ across the room, the same girls, except it was clear the sight and presence at hand for them greatly annoyed their practiced silence. Chairs rubbing against the carpet, books flying into their bags as their pierced eyes dug into Daniel’s and Johnny’s souls. Huffed in annoyance walking away as they gossip muttered words along the lines of immature teenaged boys and what the world has come down to. 

“What was that about?”, Johnny asks almost insinuating as if it was Daniel’s fault whilst pulling a chair for him to sit in.

Daniel’s tongue gazes over his teeth contemplating whether how to proceed with his emotions before deliberately deciding to say, “Was that really necessary?” He grits his teeth as his eyes narrow on Johnny’s. Irritation painted over Daniel's face. 

Johnny’s shoulders shrug in response with his blonde fringe slightly overgrown has lingered over his eyes, dressed in his cobra kai jacket, black shirt - he stuck out like a sore thumb in a place of books and old librarian women.

“It’s a library”, Daniel says as if it's a matter of fact. _The word says it all as if it's a common practice around the good ol' USA._ Though not clearly enough to Johnny.

“So?” He responds as his arms rest against the armchairs. Daniel sighs, “One of the unspoken-known key rules in the library is to be quiet” his head gesturing as a ‘duh’ expression. “Did you just make that up?” Johnny says with a huff narrowing his eyes in thought on the brink of being annoyed by Daniel’s rule book. “I-I-no. Have you ever been to a library?” He mutters in confusion whilst standing up to find the pencil he remembers his hand flung across.

“What’s your point LaRusso?”, he says with a hum as his fingers strum against the table.

Giving up as Daniel sits back in his uncomfortable chair, he sighs, “I-whatever. You’re 40 minutes late, ya know”, he states looking at his watch. Johnny rolls his eyes in annoyance at the thought that Daniel calculated the amount timed.

A snort released from his lips, “Yeah. Karate practice.” He mentions nonchalantly. That is until Johnny can hear the loose hum from Daniel’s lips.

It was then they realized they haven’t spoken since Harris’ confrontation in his office-locker room, and prior to that altercation now they are put against one another for the All Valley Tournament. Daniel now hustling, practicing, and adjusting his schedule with his teacher Mr. Miyagi only finding spare time to deal with the soccer team and now the annual history project. It was a matter of stress and time burned in Daniel’s mind. What do you say or tell someone that you know you are going to fight against in a few months from now?

_Well, apparently everything except the tournament itself._

Distracting from his thoughts Daniel asks, “Uh, where’s your stuff?” Eyebrows raised in curiosity looking at his barren hands now noticing he didn't carry any belongings. Johnny’s hand smacks on the table as if he’s strumming to a beat, “What stuff?", he asks.

A groan mutters out of his throat, “You came to a library with no notes, textbook, pencils - nothing”, he states staring at him, interrogating as if he did a crime whilst tapping his pencil against his book. “Whoa - you didn’t tell me to bring anything”, he raises his hands in defense as if it was purely simple.

Out of frustration Daniel’s fingers dropped his pencil onto the wooded table with an annoyed huff, “What did you think we were going to do?” Thinking once again, what did he do to deserve to be in this nightmare, stuck with Johnny out of all people, he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	8. 6 days after the halloween dance. wednesday, october 31st 1984.

November 6th, Tuesday afternoon.

The mild California sun basked over the spotting field. The teenaged boys can feel their clammy hands and the sweat settling in between their toes as their feet continuously run and shoot. It was a mere of practice shots at the net, filed into a single line one after another.

 _Distraction_ is the word that at best describes Johnny for the past 6 days.

A soccer ball hit to the face, an elbow to his rib, one mere touch of his playmates’ hands landed him on the ground faster than his conscious mind could keep up with. Followed by numerous stuttered moments of stalled actions when the ball was in his court - just running mindlessly as if he was a headless chicken. Of course, this resulted in endless screams, _not shout_ , but bloody screams from Mr. Harris bitchin’ at what Johnny was doing.

“Where’s your head at Lawrence! I’ve seen blondes run faster than that!” One of the many screeched-roared comments to Johnny that somehow flew from in one ear and out the other. If one looks closely you can see the vain threatening to burst out of Harris’ neck.

It was more than an hour into practice with a few days till the start of the national games to say they were ready - was an utter-complete shit lie. Johnny’s feet pace slowly in the following line, forward and back in a rhythm waiting to make his shot. He can feel a pair of knuckles brazen by his shoulder blades, head slightly turning over his shoulder, noticing the painted confusion on Bobby’s face.

“Bro, you’ve been playing shit all this past week”, he says almost muttering. Though, not quite quiet enough as Tommy peers from behind Bobby. “Yeah, what’s up with you?” He says, hands flung over Bobby’s shoulders. Bobby feeling the sweat of his hands he flung them back down, with a hand up to his face, a way to shut him up.

Bobby slightly pushes Johnny forward in the line, mostly to set a large gap between them and Tommy for the moment. “Is it your dad or somethin’?” He half-whispers over his shoulders.

“No. It’s nothing”, short and stern muttered out of lips as he stared straight ahead. Bobby rolls his eyes with a falling sigh, “Then what the fuck is it, huh?” It was met only with silence and a tensed jaw from the blonde boy.

He continues to talk thinking he can wear Johnny down to saying something or at least a hint. The thing with Johnny that Bobby has noticed since they were kids is that he barely chit-chat about his issues. You wouldn’t even know he had them, to begin with unless he’s screaming in your face or doesn’t talk at all - this was the latter.

It wasn’t just today Bobby noticed something was off. Though, he couldn’t put his finger on it - at least not at the moment. It was only a matter of minutes that it was going to be clear to him.

He continues as if there were factual jotted notes he was keeping in mind, “You just-”, he pauses almost thinking for the right words. “You’ve been acting weird as fuck. We have a game next week, this team barely has gotten their shit together. Now, I’m pretty sure Harris will be bald by the end of the week, the way he’s been pulling at his hair.”

Their eyes gaze across the field, once again Harris pulling at his hair whilst talking to the assistant coach, Larry. A bloated, 5 foot 4” moustached man. Angrily debating over the clipboard in Harris’ hands, disagreeing over the play-by-play which resulted in Larry throwing his cap onto the ground walking away. Harris followed him screaming senseless words.

“Well, shit,” Bobby mutters. “See, this is actually what we need”, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Johnny looks away seeing the back of someone’s else head, still in line under the warmth of the sun. Though, merely covered in a layer of sweat and exhaustion. His mind running a hundred miles per hour yet in a turmoil of a slow-motion cycle - in other words, Johnny _knew he was fucked._

“We’ll be fine” Johnny mutters. Not bothering to even add a hope of confidence.

“Right”, Bobby replies monotoned. Completely annoyed. He raises his hand to angle at the sun covering his sensitive eyes from the glare before looking down to the less opaque green grass noticing Johnny’s shoes. Well, lack thereof improper wear.

He kicks Johnny’s achilles heel, gazing at his white sneakers now covered in grass stains. “You even forgot your cleats”, he sighs almost scoffing, not at him. But the fact he knows he’s out of it. As if this was a pattern to his erratic behavior. He’s delusional, Bobby thought.

Johnny glances at his own white pairs, “Yeah, left home early. Forgot.”, he mumbles on.

Once again, Tommy speaks up, spooking Bobby out of his own pair of bones. “What? You didn’t show up for first period.”, he states dumbly.

Bobby gazes at Johnny with suspicion. He merely turns half-way gazing before Bobby to then Tommy, his eyes narrowed as his lips spoke the next set of words, “Leave my case.” Annoyed leached out of his skin.

Tommy sighs before sharing a confused expression with Bobby. An irritated huff leaves his lips, as he noticed the cheerleaders in distant cheering. “Seriously man, you’ve been bitchin’ and walking clueless as a fuckin’ mouse s-sin-since...” A full stop at his words, still staring in a trance at the cheerleaders prancing around within their formed choreography. A revelation he had. It was then explicitly and coherently clear to him. Bobby’s lips shut as Johnny’s eyes gaze over his.

They both knew they had the same thought.

Perhaps even a series of jotted notes of questions lingered in Bobby’s mind. _And it did._ A loud shout rattled their presence. Jimmy in the net, screaming at Johnny, “Kick the ball already!” Johnny did some uncoordinated jumps before running to the ball kicking and aiming to the corner of the net. He scores.

He turns to ignore Bobby’s antagonizing stare. Slightly cursing in his thoughts and feeling uncomfortable as to why and how Bobby can just piece puzzles together as if he was Nancy Drew or some shit.

Disregarding Bobby’s figure before passing Tommy, he says another comment patting against Bobby’s shoulder, “Where’s Daniel? ...That bastard better show up for the game.” He mutters.Bobby’s eyes close before opening again attached to Johnny’s gaze, “Who cares”, he says not adding to the curiosity or conversation. _He knows._ He merely found out within minutes. 

“Man, it’s just weird. He hasn’t shown up for practice in a week and now he’s skipping class or whatever. What he’s dead or somethin’?” Tommy says scoffing before a loud voice somehow roars over the field.

A row of their heads flicks in turn seeing Harris and Larry having a red-face screaming match.

“Bobby, I think coach will lose his hair by the end of practice” Tommy lastly comments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's about to be up-hill from now on passengers, better buckle yourself in.
> 
> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	9. loud.

Daniel’s eyes flicker over a string of words. One word after another, trying to string along a sentence. With his fingers turning the pages over trying to find a specific-niche topic they could present on. A proposal was first needed to be written, Daniel’s thought reminded him. Yet that pecking noise is echoing in his ears. Silence is an action that Daniel didn’t know he should’ve appreciated at one point. His head still hung low in his textbook, while his eyes slightly rose seeing Johnny with his now gifted pencil in hand, a ripped paper from Daniel’s notes, and a history book he randomly pulled from one of the shelves. 

“You’re being loud” Daniel mutters under his breath. Johnny abruptly stops tapping his pencil against the table as he has done for the past 10 minutes, whilst his headphones draped over his ears listening to music. 

His opal eyes look up narrowing at Daniels’ dark ones. His hands grab the right side of his headphone pushing right behind his ear, “There’s no one here.” He says as they both surveyed the empty grand room. Even at some point, the librarian has disappeared into the crooks and crannies of this library. “I don’t understand why people hang out here. It’s like the living of the dead.” He says popping his gum that he has notoriously chewed over. Was it to annoy him, Daniel questioned and concluded if it’s Johnny then _yes_. 

Ignoring Johnny’s comment, his eyes continue to find a some-worthy topic in this forsaken book, that he knew he wanted to chuck across the room. In a matter of seconds, like it was a ticking bomb, Daniel mutters with aggression added to his attitude, “Stop that.” He flung his pencil to the table, staring and directly gesturing to his tapping pencil. The tick, tick, tick has now imploded his brain. His darkened eyes now showing irritation, whereas Johnny has some sort of intentional amusement. 

“Stop what”, he states mocking his tone with his pencil in hand that triggered Daniel’s implosion. “Are you always this annoying?” He scoffs his fingers flipping a page to the next dead-section of history. 

“Are you always this patronizing?” Johnny retorts his fingers now grasping onto what was once Daniel’s pencil. He chuckles flabbergasted, “Patronizing”, testing the word over his tongue. “Surprised you even know what that word means.”

“I know words bruh. A lot of ‘em.” His hand brushing through his blonde fringe. Forgetting to get a haircut, Johnny reminds himself once more. 

Daniel’s mouth agape slightly before closing, “Right. Of course, you do.” He mutters sarcastically. “What is that supposed to mean?” Johnny says sounding offended elbows leaning into the table. His blonde hair swept to the side, with his eyes clear and indirect stare to Daniels’. 

His fingers now grasping onto the pencil as some sort of reinforcement, to Johnny’s death glare beckoning, “Nothing. Never mind.”, he says looking away back to the open pages of American history. “No, no”, Johnny says whilst grabbing and forcefully clenches his palm around Daniel’s wrist. Out of Daniel’s grasp, his pencil fell.

Daniel noticed his fingers wrapped around his wrist, directly staring at the green-blue tones of his veins etching on the back of his pale hand. His hand was warm and somehow he can feel the pulse beating heavily or _perhaps_ it was the heaving breaths Daniel can feel in his chest. 

Daniel slowly looks up, mouth open in a state of _what the fuck_. Is Johnny really trying to start a fight in the public library of all places, he thought. 

The taut lips displayed on Johnny’s face increased to a painted slight grin, tapping his wrist before letting go. “I’m just busting your balls” he mocks with a chuckling tone. A slight wheeze and an out of breath leaves his lips with a touch of jersey accent creeping in, “Why you gotta do shit like that?”

Johnny shrugs not giving into his question, “Has anyone told you have a weird voice or somethin’?” Daniel is taken aback, shuffles in his chair. “It’s my voice. Al Pacino has this voice, you know.” Johnny scrunches his eyebrows in confusion, “Isn’t he from New York?”

“It’s close enough”, Daniel mumbles. “It's called ne’jersey. What can I do abou’ it?” He finishes grasping onto the pencil for the third or fourth time he has dropped it. Daniel can feel his cobalt piercing eyes staring, feeling merely intimidated, he gazes anywhere on the pages, but him.

Johnny comments perhaps out of boredom Daniel thought. “Jersey huh” evaluating how the word comes out of his lips. Almost foreign to him. “What are you doing all the way over here then?” He says in an interrogating tone that somehow really says, what the heck are you doing on the other side of the United States, on my turf, no other place was good enough?

Daniel debating whether to remark his tone or answer his question. He chose the latter, “I-uh my ma got a better job and we moved.” Stating as if it was plain as day.

“Just like that,” Johnny states capturing his lips in between his teeth as if he’s in a train of thought. 

“Yeah, just like that.” Daniel retorts, once again, turning the page over. His own pencil now in tapping motion onto the table. “What about your dad?” Johnny questions, expression unreadable. Daniel did a double-take of his question, eyes fluttering in confusion. A question like that hasn’t entered his ears for a long while, he remembers. “My dad?” He says to himself. Feeling taken aback, eyes meeting that already has gazed at Daniels’. “Er-I-he died when I was 8.”

A low-hum escapes his lips as Johnny’s eyes faltered pretending to be enraptured by the thousand-page history book. Daniel felt the invasion of Johnny’s apprehensive awkwardness looking once over the pages in his hands. 

He turns the book placing over Johnny’s enormous history guide book nearly taking over their table. “We should do this topic.” Daniel comments, pencil tapping to the title. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	10. speak of the devil

7th day after the Halloween dance. Wednesday morning. 

His hands flinched and struggled to open the crooked locker has sent Johnny into another small fit of rage for this past week. “Open” he begrudgingly mutters under his breath. “Finally”, the door flung open as some scattered papers flew out and dropped to the hallway floor. “Shit” he comments whilst grabbing the scrapped and scribbled notes from his classes. Disorganized, untidy, and haphazard are the best descriptions of Johnny’s locker and perhaps in this singular moment in his disordered existence.

Low to the ground his hands grab all the flung notes in a pile as a pair of shoes black sneakers recognizable interrupt his view. He looks up half-scrunched near the floor seeing Bobby, “You look like death.” He says seeing Johnny's pair of sunken eyes. 

A groan leaves his lips, “Tell me about it.” He shoves the papers into an unknown binder, thinking he’ll get to organizing it at some point. Bobby’s back leans against the locker watching his peers walking mindlessly to where their feet carry them. Flooded noises fill in the long hallway, feet stomping, and litter of gossips once filled in everyone’s mouth now lingered in the air. 

“Hey, Cindy,” Bobby says noticing her ethereal beauty for the hundredth time. Cindy walks lock-in arm with her footballer boyfriend, which Bobby purposefully does not pay attention to. “Hi, Bobby”, she says shyly her brunette cascading over her shoulders. She gave a small touch of a wave to which Bobby returns. 

Still, staring at Cindy’s figure walking past him in distance, “Do you think I can knock George out? Maybe I should challenge him to a fight.” He hums scratching his jaw in thought. “He’s twice my size, but you know what they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?” He comments head-turning to Johnny.

Johnny still shuffling his papers, trying to remember which notes were needed for his classes. Bobby notices the frustration setting in the lines of his face. The back of his hand smacks his shoulder roughly, “Hey” Bobby comments. Johnny’s head turns with wide-eyes like an owl - both realizing that he did not hear a word of what Bobby said. 

Bobby rolls his eyes, now turning his figure, his right shoulder leaning onto the lockers. Arms crossed and feet interlocked as he looked over Johnny, “So he knows."

Johnny’s eyes look away from Bobby staring into his open locker. Almost hoping it can be a secret doorway he can walk through to run away from all this crap, he thought. He doesn’t answer, but the way he closes his eyes in thought, before opening again with a sigh leaving his lips, it was more than enough said. 

Bobby’s hand pat Johnny’s shoulder in comfort as he stands away from the locker. 

“What did h- _oh_ , _shit_ , speak of the devil,” Bobby says surprisingly. 

Johnny’s eyes snap to Bobby’s expression looking across the hallway he followed his gaze. There he was walking next to Ali. Pacing next to her, shoulders bumping, perhaps a little of laughter fluttered from their mouths. Johnny couldn’t make sense of their words due to the interrupted figures walking in and out of his vision. 

They stop in motion in front of her lockers that Johnny knew once all too well. Ali opening her locker as Daniel is leaning by her, chatting with his hands gesturing. Remembering the alike gestures in conversations they had, Johnny thought. He notices the way how Daniel’s fingers caress her hair, over the ear and hand lingering on her shoulder. 

It was then in that perpendicular indescribable moment he knew which one he was _truly_ jealous of. Candidly, Johnny knew all that bundled and indelible fervor of hate and wanting desire and infatuation will, _if_ not already fucked him up. He just didn’t think it would be a whirlwind of envy or gut-wrenching. Nearly giving him a calculated whiplash and a laced of wanting to vomit right there and then.

A smacked sound of a locker shook Bobby out of thought. He flinches almost falling against the lockers. Johnny walks in the opposite direction from _them_. 

"Johnny” Bobby comments with concern as he tries to catch up to his swift stride down the long hallway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> double update cuz...why not lol


	11. the red apple.

His hands tightly grasp the edges of his lunch tray pacing down the aisle, eyes surveying the food behind the tinted glass. His mouth flinches at the novelty taste of cafeteria lunch. Maybe he should’ve asked his mom for one of those peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Daniel wondered. “What’s gonna be hun?” A broad woman, covered in a hairnet with oversized pink glasses staring at Daniel with an eyebrow raised. He mumbles with thought, eyes flickering back and forth between a green tint of mashed potatoes versing to the gravy-like texture of meat or so, Daniel questioned if it was real meat, to begin with. “Uh, the potatoes ma’am.” His fingers point not feeling hungry as once before. The lunch lady hummed a tsk dropping the mushed liquid carelessly onto his plate. Daniel’s eyes flinch to the splatters of flying 'potatoes'. _Great_ , he thought as he continuously paced down the line. 

He felt a tap to his shoulder, half-turning seeing Ali budging into the line, her tray filled with a homemade packed lunch and an untouched apple. “Hey”, she says with her beaming smile, Daniel has grown a fondness for. “Ali,” he says matching hers with a crooked grin. Her eyes flutter noticing the lack of appetizing subsistence on his plate. “Yum,” she says with sarcasm as her expression recoil with a comforting smile. Daniel chuckled, “Yeah, delicious. Who doesn’t love mashed green potatoes?” 

The cafeteria’s noise filters into the air like pollution, lingering and deafening to the ears. Scattered of teenagers seated with their packs; jocks, nerds, popular, and the normals all gathered with a row of grand windows peeking into the school’s backyard. Natural lighting brightening the space yet the dull wall encased the four corners of the room. 

They walk together passing through the buckling and fulled tables after Daniel pays for his unappealing meal and chocolate milk. Noticing a brunette insight that Ali was walking towards. He squints his eyes wondering, Susan, he concluded. Remembering that she particularly was not fond of him. 

“Oh, isn’t it the fungus,” Susan says with a cheery tone, looking up noticing jet black hair and tanned skin. His eyes squinted with a slight grin, awkwardly. “Susan,” Ali mumbles under her breath whilst rolling her eyes, shoving her friend down the bench as she sits in the middle between her and Daniel. “Hey, I forgot his name.” She says defensively her hands surrendering. “It’s Daniel.” He says looking over Ali, meeting Susan’s gaze. Not bothered by her mocking attitude, rather found it amusing per-say. 

Her head bounces in recognition eyes squinting as she smiles, he couldn’t tell whether it was genuine or attested to her dislike of him, _personally_. “Right! Daniel.” She says as she stabs her salad. 

“I saw you at the soccer practice the other day. I see you’ve been working hard.” Ali comments whilst opening her over-packaged sandwich. 

Daniel continues to shuffle a bit whilst forks into the mushed foreign object lying on his plate. He looks up meeting her light-brown eyes. “Oh really? Yeah, you know the coach can be a pain in the ass.” Whispering the last part of his words earning an amused chuckle from Ali. 

Susan not giving a _shit_. 

“When’s your first game? I’m thinking of going.” She questions with hands resting on her tray. Daniel’s eyes enlarged in surprise, “Thinking, huh?” He smiles whilst she nods, straw stabbing into her chocolate milk. “I would love it if you came,” Daniel comments hand flattening to his chest. “Good”, she giggles under her breath as he can feel his heart fluttering in an unrhythmic beat. 

“The first game is a few days after the Halloween dance, I think.” He pauses, still forking into his unsatisfying meal. “I’ll let you know.” He says with a hum. “Here, take the apple.” Ali’s hand placing the fruit onto his open palm, “Oh, no, no. It’s okay I can suffer for one day. Definitely learned my lesson to bring lunch from home.” He mutters under his breath, silently cursing at himself. 

“Daniel, it’s okay I have a bar in my locker anyway, just in case.” She says munching into her sandwich with a crinkled smile in her eyes. Shyly, he says, “Thanks, Ali.” His buck teeth leeching onto the curve of the red apple. 

“What are you wearing for the Halloween dance?” Ali asks eyebrows raise with genuine curiosity. “A queen.” Susan interrupted, their eyes turned to her. “Oh, you weren’t asking me,” she says hand gesturing to her neck with a touch of an attitude. Ali snickered whilst Daniel comments, “That’s cool.” A hum returns from Susan’s lips. Not giving a shit. 

“It’s a surprise,” Daniel whispers in Ali’s ears with a brush of flirtatious coaxing his tongue. “Oh, really?” Her head turns to gaze at his brown eyes. “What about you?” He lowly asks as his fingers rotate the apple in his hand. She hums in thought before she says, “It’s a surprise too.” Mocking Daniel’s tone. “Oh, really?” He chuckles mocking hers in return.

A loud gag echoed in which flinched their presence. Both heads turning to the reacted sound, “Can you guys just not.” Susan says with a detest tone. Ali apologizes, whilst a flush of embarrassment rush to Daniel’s cheeks as his mouth took another bite into his gifted apple. 

As Ali and Daniel exchange silent flirtatious gazes resulting blushes from both of their cheeks. Susan questions breaking up their locked gazes game they made up at the moment, “Daniel.” He hums in question gazing over Ali to hers. “Have you noticed a blonde-karate psycho-jock staring at you for the past, I don’t know like 10 minutes?… It’s creeping me out.” She mutters under her breath her wrist covering her mouth as if perhaps someone else will eavesdrop on their conversation. 

“What?” He says half-choking to a chunk sized apple momentarily lodged in his throat. He gazes ahead slowly surveying the room. His eyes nearly focused trying to find a blonde head. There he was across the room, grouped with his friends. Chatter and laughter flooded from their table as if it was a connected river to theirs. His brown eyes locked on his blue ones. Johnny flutters a bit as Bobby whispers in his ears, who is also staring at Daniel with an indecipherable expression. 

“I think they are talking shit about you.” Susan comments, almost amused. As if they themselves heard her comment, one by one the group of teenaged boys turned their heads all directly following Johnny’s direct stare insight. 

“Well, isn’t this awkward.” Susan mumbles, whilst Ali’s huffed uncomfortable cough leaves her lips. “Why you guys don’t come closer, if you boys are just going to stare, you perverts.” She half-shouts targeting at them. Daniel flinches at Susan’s outburst and brazen comment. Their heads flung back around turning chuckling under their breaths as their voices fill their group chat once more. Though, a spiked blonde-head Dutch, Daniel remembers, narrowly and shamelessly stare at him in repugnance before turning with a huff. 

His lashes flutter with perplexity and skepticism from the demised look. With a _gutted_ wrench to his abdomen, feeling a layer of unpleasant restlessness now stretched over his skin as the once gaze at Johnny’s retreating now staring at the red apple in his hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> Would love to hear your thoughts & don't forget to kudo this story if you enjoyed it so far! :)


	12. the hardest part is the night. part 1. 7:36pm.

The draft from theinsulated apartment layered goosebumps breezing over Daniel’s skin.  Half-wrapped in a towel, dampen skin from the shower and laying in bed eyes trailing the ceiling noticing the minor cracks. Like the fractured lines between, he too felt the bone-weary of his figure.  Feeling fatigued and worn-down from the bundled physical exertion of early soccer drills, Harris’ shoutings to late karate practice with Mr. Miyagi’s endless harsh criticism.  If anything, all he wants is the flutter of his lashes to close welcoming the darkness as the world falls away like a backdrop scene from a play.

But he _couldn’t._

His neck rolled looking ahead to his bedtime, his vision adjusting to the time. It was 6:48 in the evening.  Lips captured between his teeth debating whether to leave early to head to the library or to wait around knowing that Johnny would be late or _not even bother come_ considering the way he was acting hours earlier today, his memory recollected.

“Uh-er, Johnny” Daniel’s voice rasp, his cleats shifting on the locker room tiles. “What” he replies sternly, kicking off his cleats shoving into his bag carelessly. As his fingers peel off his shin guards and crews socks not giving a worthy glance to his presence.  Daniel’s fingers  mindlessly  cards into his dark hair before clenching around his neck in thought, he mentions, “I have this thing later - can we push the project thing around 8 instead ?”

His eyes flicker over Johnny’s figure to Bobby’s whose standing as if he was one of those anatomical skeleton models. His eyes inspecting as if he concluded Daniel was some type of foreign dangerous insect on a discovery channel who needed to be squashed quickly.

Immediately, Daniel can feel the rush of regret washing his sweat as Johnny stills. One foot arched on the bench, the other on the tile with hands letting go of the fabric around his calf.  In that expeditious moment, Daniel questioned if there was a malfunction in Johnny’s system or _perhaps_ he pissed him off and should just walk away. He chose the latter. With his feet turning half-way - he hears a closed hum from Johnny’s lips. Whether it was a yes or no, like Daniel can figure the fuck out.  His eyes rolled in return feeling the tension building as if it was the fucking waterfalls both ready just to push one over the other.

His feet swing over the bed, eyes fluttering between his heavy and slow breath. He groans standing up feeling the rush of ache and stings between the arches of his feet down to his toes.  He didn’t account for the throbbing tender between his arm joints that will be immensely sore tomorrow. “Danny!”, he hears his mother’s voice, Lucille echoing in the apartment. “Yes, ma!”, he shouts back shuffling his feet for the nearest apparel he can find within his grasp.

“Do you still need a ride? I’m leaving for work now!” She shouts once again, hearing the rattled rush of her presence near as her feet paced against the hardwood floor from one room to another.

* * *

“Oh honey, are you sure you’re alright?” One hand laying over Daniel’s forehead, the other on the steering wheel.  “Yeah, I’m fine ma,  just been a long day is all” he replies taking her hand off his skin, as his fingers rubbed the dreading sleepiness out of his eyes.  His eyes lazily take in the passing cars and front lots as he hears his mothers’ hands flinging around the cup holders and glove compartments.

“Ah-ha, haven’t seen this little guy since we moved here” she comments in satisfaction.  Her fingers flick off the lipstick cap looking into the rear-view mirror applying the ruby stain. “Danny” she hums, “I’ll be staying at work late than usual. Do you think your friend Johnny can drop you off?” She continues smacking her lips.

Daniel’s eyes fixated on the airless air condition in front of him, jaw slacked, “Danny?” Lucille questions looking to his son, back to the road then to Daniel again. “Are you sure you’re okay honey?”

“I should’ve taken my bike” his voiced monotonous. A sigh leaves his lips, eyes closed shutting the near foggy fevered sunset.

After unending hearsay gossips his mother echoed in Daniel’s ears for the past 30 minutes, his throat heaves a breath finally with ease as his feet entered the familiar carpeted floor with coated white depressing walls.  Underarm withholding the binder in place as his eyes flicker over a desk to a librarian seated, who seemed to remember him.  Avoiding her gaze, once again, as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion with her pursed lips as she watched Daniel hurriedly stride past her.

Down the narrow hall, passing the number rows of bookshelves, he entered the grand area of scattered tables, some empty, and some filled. Busier on a Friday night, Daniel thought.  His eyes surveyed for the naked tables whilst pacing slowly that is until his feet stilled,  abruptly against the rough carpet.

His back to him, blonde hair and red jacket with a pair of headphones covering his ears.

Daniel checked his watch, 7:36.

Johnny’s _early_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> This mini part series in this whole story is one of my favs, it's gonna be a night they won't forget :)) don't forget to leave a kudo or a comment if you enjoy it so far, would love to read what you think!


	13. the hardest part is the night. part 2. 8:28pm.

His brown eyes idled on the string of words Johnny has written the past hour. Their proposal piece was near finished, with the exception of fixing a few ineligible sentences before piecing his part to Johnny’s. The tip of his pencil curves on the blank sheet as he corresponds to the final composition for Harris. As he writes, he couldn’t help but flicker minor gazes at Johnny, eyes closed, a palm of his hand holding the side of his cheek with parted lips. Daniel blinks at him, his mouth parting in disbelief, whether to engage a spark of anger behind his eyes or to be relieved he’s _finally_ quiet in a library. He shook his head, trying not to care, as his writings on the paper continue to scribble. 

* * *

A little disheveled after countless hands parting through his hair before aimlessly rubbing over his half-closed eyes. He continues to inspect the connected sentences and the parted paragraphs, lastly adding his name as well _hesitantly_ Johnny’s. He debated whether to wake Johnny to get his penmanship or preferably keeping the silence. Eh, it didn’t take long before the edge of his fingers gripped the pencil etching Daniel LaRusso & Johnny Lawrence. 

His hands let go of the paper, quietly placing it to the side as he checks his watch 8:28. A low sigh leaves his lips as his eyes glance at the lack of figures who have come and went. He didn’t know whether if it was the silence, or the stilled vibration noise of pencils against papers, the far echo of books put into shelves or the flicker pages of books being read — nonetheless, Daniel found himself with his hand under his cheek, motionless, his bones at _tranquil_ with his other hand resting on his binder. 

His lashes with in-between flutters caressing at the sight of pale blonde hair, the way it falls over his closed eyelids. The lines of toil and anguish that he is too aware of have now virtually disappeared replaced with a serene and the innocence of a _teenaged boy_. His eyes half-take in the glances at the fall of his linear nose to the flushed parted lips breathing at his own free will. Not a twitch nor a spasm as he barely displayed any movement. Daniel too soon started to feel the unhurried-sedated pulse encasing his pupils to darkness. 

* * *

All it took was a flick of a finger to Daniel’s head to groan in pain. His hand instinctively covers his forehead feeling the rushed and brisk sting. He rubs over the targeted mark as his eyes blink open, head lying on his numbed forearm as his vision takes in the sight of familiar pale hands twirling around a pencil. Abruptly his eyes crossed in exasperation as his neck carried his head in level meeting Johnny’s eyeing him demurely. 

Daniel shots him with a disgusted glance, squeezed his eyes shut, and hummed the pain now throbbing over what should be a minuscule hit has now vibrated to the inner of his cerebrum. 

“You know just calling my name would suffice” Daniel’s husky voice spoke weakly. A slight scoff swiftly enters his ears following, “It didn’t hurt LaRusso” he comments. Daniel’s avid eyes attested to Johnny’s quick wit, “How would you know?”

Johnny tilts his head in thought with an unidentifiable hum lingering with his commanding visage. “Here,” he says shoving a paper towards Daniel’s open palm. Narrowed eyes turning to slits, “You re-wrote the paper I just wrote?” Vision peering over the sentences he revised. 

Johnny’s gaze wandered over his parted lips noticing how his tongue caressing and salivating before captured by his teeth. His brown eyes darted skyward from the paper anchoring to the penetrating blues ones fixedly staring at him. Johnny inwardly flinches grasping the pencil in his hand. “It wasn’t that good,” he says unexpectedly, relinquishing a breath he didn’t know he was withholding. 

Daniel’s lashes swept up and blinked with thought. It crept in like waves of an ocean, confusion, annoyance to anguish — one after another. Just as he was about to verbally attacked Johnny, a rush of growl echoes out of his stomach. Hungry was an understatement. He realized he didn’t eat beforehand. Time moved too hurriedly for Daniel to catch the whirlwind end of his famished starvation. 

“Do you wanna grab food or somethin’?” Johnny says too _quickly_. Johnny’s mind did not even register what his voice betrayed him. 

Daniel cocked a brow in surprise, head tilting as if he has grown two heads in place. And just like Johnny, his own voice betrayed his unprocessed thoughts. “Sure”, he mumbles.

He throws the final written paper into his binder as his once tired feet now moves the chair against the carpet. 

They both didn’t bother to glance at one other as they for once stride in the same pace down the hall and out of what Johnny now calls the library, _the living of the dead_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> Expect a few updates tomorrow! Don't forget to kudo or leave a comment, would love to read your thoughts!


	14. the hardest part is the night. part 3. 9:45pm.

It took way longer than they liked to admit to finding a damn fast food place to agree on. It was either too _pricey_ for Daniel’s wallet, fries not that _edible_ , the place is a _rip-off_ for what it’s worth, the burger is _shit —_ it was one complaint after another. One voice raised over the other, till it was practically a yelling match in Johnny’s avanti. 

After 35 minutes of circling around the streets with the disarray disagreements and face in the red shouting - they finally miraculously agreed on a Ma & Pop’s joint of burgers and shakes. Though was met with Daniel’s snide remarks, “If this place is shit, I’ll shove it down your throat myself.” Johnny snorts in return, “I’ll give you a matching shiner if you dare—” He stops himself a little too late, cringe crawls his skin realizing the repercussion of his words, be that as is in Johnny’s defense he was teasing. Still, the dissatisfaction plowed Daniel’s eyebrows feeling a rush of vexation and some-sort of resentment. 

In Johnny’s avanti, this was their first uncomfortable silence. 

And this was _another_. In a red and black leathered booth, seated opposite sides as Johnny has his walkman placed on the table whilst fiddling with the sugar packets in hand whereas Daniel’s forearms idle on the table focusing elsewhere. To be fair they didn’t account for the awkward silence they now have to sit through. 

The diner was flooded with the noise of teenagers in quads, and couples in and out. In the backdrop, he notices the sun is fading as the night is pulling up. Daniel’s eyes landed on the hanging clock, 9:45 in the night. His eyes keep glancing over Johnny’s figure passing to strangers walking by. 

“What are you looking at LaRusso?” Johnny lowly mumbles as his fingers release the sugar packets back into its container. 

As if Daniel couldn’t help himself words started to vomit out of his throat, “You’re sitting right in front of me”, he scoffs, “Sorry that my eyeballs shifts over your unpleasant face.” Daniel didn’t notice Johnny’s crudely offending stare in the consequence of his insult. “A-and what’s the “LaRusso”?” Daniel questions fingers air quoting around his name, “Is it too difficult to say, Daniel?” He spits out with slits for eyes — half chuckling thinking just how ridiculous it was to him. 

“Daniel” Johnny mocks his name with a swift silver of unrecognizable emotion in those cool eyes passes through before Daniel even caught onto it. Johnny's head shakes as if it’s a no-big-deal expression painted with a lop-sided grin. The fucker is mocking him, Daniel thought. 

With a breathy scoff he says, “Congratulations, you know how to say a name.” Daniel’s voice is drenched with sarcasm as his hands slowly clap in applause. 

“Why you gotta be such a prick?” Johnny remarks teeth seething. As if karma was trying to bite his ass, it certainly wanted to. A mother with a young daughter passes right there and then, her eyes narrow with clear judgment, covering her daughter’s ears as they walk past. An annoyed huff leaves her lips along with the insulted lines of stupid teenagers and their _unacceptable public_ manners.

“Now look what you did,” Daniel says with scrutiny hand-gesturing to the passing family. 

It was there then as if something snaps into place, like a rubber band that has been released and it snaps broken at its seams. 

Johnny’s forearm leans forward on the table, eyes laced with glared daggers. His hand half-smacked onto the table, “I-you started with the whining about your name — “LaRusso”.” He says mocking Daniel’s voice exaggerating his high-pitched voice. “No, I didn’t” Daniel grits his teeth as his gestures lean forward trying to intimidate Johnny’s.

He chuckles under his breath, head lowly hung forward meeting Daniel’s, “Yes, you did.” This is getting _utterly_ stupid, Daniel thought. “No”, he pauses and mumbles lowly as his finger points to the table as if he stating a statement, “I didn’t say the word prick.”

Feeling amused Johnny says, “Huh?” As his body leans even further into the table, his hand cups his ear with a painted confused expression. Daniel rolled his eyes too hard as if felt it was being plugged further back into its sockets. “You heard what I said…you prick.” He utters slowly, lips in a tight knot, face to face. It was then Daniel notices how transparently clear he can see the black streaks of his pupils expanding over his blues. 

At that moment, their subconscious minds realized just how they were a little _too_ close.

Johnny’s mouth parted just as he was about to utter a series of words _or_ nothing. Daniel wouldn’t know because a warp of a cough interrupted their gazes at one another, their head flicks seeing a young brunette waitress with a tray in hand. Daniel felt the slight draft from the swoop of Johnny’s hair by his neck sending unprovoked chills down his spine. They both slowly retreated into their sides of the booths _awkwardly_ as the waitress’s confused gaze shuffled between their figures a few times. 

It was a three-way gaze predicament. 

She stood there painstakingly for another 20 seconds questioning if she should turn around and come back later — but then she thought, weirder things have happened. 

“2 double bacon cheeseburgers, extra fries, one chocolate milkshake, and a coke?” She questions monotonously reading of a slip in her hand. 

“Yup,” Daniel mumbles avoiding her glance. 

Johnny’s hands found entertainment in the sugar packets _again_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> -
> 
> I'm thinking of adding 2 or so more chapters tomorrow in a row, so you guys can read the story cohesively? idk lmk what you think?
> 
> Don't forget to hit that kudo button or follow me on tumblr, come say hi!


	15. the hardest part is the night. part 4. 10:05pm.

With the plates scattered between ‘em, Johnny blinks at Daniel staring when he takes a second bite into the burger, his blonde eyebrows raised in question. He mumbles two words, “It’s fine.” Johnny’s expression retorts with a satisfied lop-sided grin of I-told-you-so. Daniel rolls his eyes baffled and unsurprised with his inflated ego. As his gaze captures the clock behind Johnny 10:05, wandering if his ma is on her way home or is home _and_ if she is, he questions if his ma worries Daniel’s whereabouts. Perhaps, come to her senses that Johnny might’ve done something to Danny, kidnapped, beating the shit out of him or — 

“What are you looking at?” Johnny interrupts, the words sound once again familiar. He turns his head following his gaze. “The clock,” Daniel says whilst dipping a fry into the ketchup. 

“And?” Johnny questions, giving another bite into his burger. Daniel can feel the tapping motion of Johnny’s shoes near his. 

Daniel chews, giving a few seconds before his voice founds through Johnny’s ears, “My mom is working late. I don’t know if she’s home worried or somethin’ — you know parents worry and shit.” He finishes whilst sipping his chocolate shake, pleased with the enhanced chocolate-ness flavor. He took another sip. 

Daniel notices his eyes staring at the fries, he looks onto the chopped potatoes back to Johnny, eyes squinting with perplexity. Almost questioning himself, _did I say something wrong?_ he thought. 

Daniel changes the topic _abruptly_. 

“We need a place to practice.” He says as Johnny’s rolled skywards meeting Daniel’s. “Hmm?” He hums with his chewing mouth and cocked brow showing confusion. “For our presentation” he sighs, “Did you forget we need to publicly talk? In front of people.” Daniel felt a _little_ too sour at the thought of it, he never really enjoyed public presentations. 

A realization faded over Johnny’s face, with a slight nod forward, “What’s wrong with the livin’ of the dead?” He says hoarsely due to the food within his mouth. Daniel’s expression flinches with slight disgust at the sight of Johnny’s chewing. That is until he shook his head, wholeheartedly confused at what Johnny was insinuating, _living of the dead_ , Daniel questions mindlessly. 

Till it finally _clicked_ for him. 

“What now?” He chokes half-amused, “That’s what you call the library?” Head tilting, eyes distracted by how Johnny plays with his fries before shoving ‘em past his lips. 

He shrugs, “That’s what it feels like, you know? All dead-quiet and shit.” He comments whilst taking a rather somewhat long sip of his coke. 

Daniel ponders for about 30 seconds, debating whether his comment was true enough or not. He found his head slowly nodding, saying, “I-I guess.” He mumbles before continuing, “We can’t practice at the library.” 

“Why not?” Johnny questions, not giving a glance towards Daniel.

He heaves an annoyed breath, “For one, you can’t talk at a library — two, let alone give a full-blown presentation — which would probably lead us to argue, _perhaps_ another yelling match — then we would be kicked out because of you —” He stops himself before it sounds like he’s rambling a bunch of shit together. 

Johnny’s jaw slack, hanging loosely as his finger points to his chest, “Me?” He questions with an indecipherable expression in his eyes. 

Daniel didn’t think twice about what came out of his mouth, “Yeah, you and you’re bitchin’ attitude you have with me.” He says _perhaps_ a little too loud out of their comfort zone, whilst popping a fry in his mouth. 

Instantaneously, they notice a figure stop in motion by their table, the mop of their heads turns simultaneously to the side. No, shit, the same damn woman with the child, Daniel thought. Her head cocked back with flared disgust as she ushered her daughter forward quickly — equally appalled by their _dirty in vain_ language, she claims. 

Daniel blinks stupidly before looking at Johnny, mouth tight lip holding onto a laugh. Daniel scoffs, as Johnny mocks him, “Now look what you did.” His hand repeating the same gesture Daniel did, nearly 20 minutes ago.

He throws a fry targeting his face to which Johnny catches before flicking it into his mouth. “Very funny”, Daniel mutters under his breath. The mutter slowly turns into a chuckle. Johnny joins too with a small pursed grin as his eyes flashed with gaiety. 

“Is she circling around the diner or what?” Daniel says as they both turn-halfway in the booth to see where the damn lady went. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi! > [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	16. the hardest part is the night. part 5. 10:39pm.

It was indescribable but noticeable. The once tapping motion of Johnny’s shoes now moved to Daniel’s. The empty plates, with only a few scattered lonely fries and the bottom layer of their drinks thinning. Daniel’s forearm stretching over the table, “What are you listening to anyway?” His index finger points to the walkman. Johnny frankly assesses the walkman before turning to Daniel, “You wouldn’t know” he says nonchalantly. 

A veiled expression of annoyance faded in and out quickly, “Pfft, you think you’re so cool with all that ego flying in your head?” Johnny’s shoulders shrug as Daniel felt he was too self-absorbed. He had to stop his eyes from rolling too hard it might pop out of its socket. “Trust me, you haven’t heard of them,” he says calmly with that upscale neighborhood accent. Daniel just noticed for the first time. Definitely upper-class voice, he concluded, and immediately wondered if Johnny ever been to one of those wealthy country clubs. 

Nonetheless, his comment left a nerving tick in Daniel’s figure, “Try me.” Eyes set narrowed slits, determined like a challenge. Johnny raises his brow in surprise as his arms lean forwards. 

It was one genre after another, one song after another. Songs at rapid-fire, _no, good, terrible, that one sucked, eh_. It went on for what felt 5 minutes to them but in reality 20 minutes or so of just them interrogating each other. Trash song, Johnny would say. In which, Daniel would spend the next 5 minutes defending how _certain_ classic rocks were better than his choices. It wasn’t merely of an argument like the others, but rather a banter like you have with friends. A little of laughter passes on, perhaps a new suggestion of a band that Johnny mindlessly noted. This followed with Daniel analyzing Johnny’s choice of bands. He tilted his head in surprise, “Reo Speedwagon?” Surprisingly and unsurprisingly, they had a similar fondness for the band, _of course_. 

“What do you mean you haven’t been to a record shop?” Johnny says head cocked back placed on the worn-out leather booth. Daniel finishes his shake, swallowing the last chocolate remains. “I just moved here—” “Like 3 months ago,” Johnny says too suddenly. Hasty. It was actually a bit startling to Daniel. He blinks at him like he saw a ghost — but his brain wouldn’t process it at first. His mind recklessly counted the months and days in between it has been so far, almost the end of October with the Halloween dance this Wednesday. _Yeah_ , it has been 3 months, Daniel thought. 

Johnny’s eyes flicker down to the empty plate, perhaps realizing how stalker tendency that sounded. Especially coming from his mouth. He doesn’t say anything with his pursed lips avoiding Daniel’s questionable and perturbed expression. 

“I’ve just been busy, man.” Daniel finally comments — ignoring what just _had_ happened. 

“With what?” He says, still not meeting Daniel’s, fingers flicking with the leftover fries. Daniel cards through his hair in thought as his mind visually makes a list of what has been taking his time lately. He leans back into the booth, hands splayed over his thighs. “For starters soccer” he mumbles. Johnny heaves a breath, “Yeah, Harris can be a pain.” “Right.” Daniel agrees with a scoff matching his. 

“Then school which — already takes the whole week pretty much.” He continues as his brown eyes become distracted with Johnny building some-sort of a miniature house with scrapped fries. He hums in return. He didn’t know whether he was interested in his rambles at this point, but when his blue eyes rose upwards meeting his, he continues nonetheless. “And Mr. Miyag—” Daniel snapped his voice to a halt as if he’s been slapped to the face. His body inwardly cringed uncontrollably. He hoped Johnny wouldn’t care to respond or comment — well he did. 

“Well, are you learnin’?” Johnny's comments were clearly laced with amusement and perhaps unexpected curiosity. “Let’s just say I won’t get another shiner again.” He says with a slight twinge to his mouth. Resentment was almost unnoticeable. But it was _there_ , Johnny noticed. 

The air between them became strained. It was _almost_ awkward. “So — that’s why I haven’t been to the record shop — or even around Reseda,” Daniel says as he claps his hands before slightly smacking to the table leaning forward. Johnny’s french fries’ house fell.

His jaw slacked, “Really? I worked hard on that house.” With a scoff of “Unbelievable,” leaving Johnny’s lips. Just as Daniel was about to bitch at Johnny again, he interrupts, “Reseda?” 

Daniel blinks at him, quizzically, almost forgetting that he mentioned his home-town. “Yeah,” he mumbles, “It’s where I live — South Seas apartments.” Almost whispering the last part, wondering why his voice unmanageable and unconsciously hushed near the end of ‘south seas’.

He didn’t have to look at Johnny to feel the radiation of judgment leaking off of him. In the back of his mind, he knew he was a rich-spoiled kid with a motorcycle and an avanti — it was clear to him where he resided. Whether how Johnny perceives Daniel as; a _poor_ kid or a kid who was just _not rich enough_ in his terms, Daniel thought. 

A little flare of irritation gawked over Daniel’s eyes as he can feel Johnny’s. 

“Checks?” The very-same waitress interrupts. Seem to know her timing, Daniel considers mindlessly. 

They both nod simultaneously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi! > [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	17. the hardest part is the night. part 6. 10:56pm.

Their sneakers hit the paved gravel walking to Johnny’s parked car. It was merely quiet until Johnny felt like he couldn’t hold himself in. “You wanna hit a record shop?” He comments loudly enough knowing Daniel was walking behind. He couldn’t bear to turn to look at him as if all his insides were gripped in a tight fist and squeezed.

Daniel blinks at Johnny’s backside, in his red jacket still walking ahead with his right hand carrying his keys flinging them around slightly. He can hear the metal chain clicking rapidly with an echo as if he was distracting himself or filling the empty silences.

“Isn’t it closed?” He questions, slowly pacing his feet. It was pitch black, the moon’s out but the street was livelier than ever at night. “It’s a Friday,” Johnny says stopping in his tracks.

Daniel stops too, “I don’t know, my mom—” his hands in his pockets flinching from the slight chill creeping in the mid-fall. “Call her,” Johnny says instantaneously as his hand gestures to the phone booth that’s right outside of the shop. 

He thinks about it for a moment, _perhaps_ a little too long. He didn’t seem to notice Johnny standing there with his eyes recklessly flickering over Daniel’s wondering what the fuck was he thinking. He can feel as if there’s a swoop low in his gut as if he’s been dropped from a cliff.

In actuality, in Daniel’s mind, he questioned Johnny’s motives; perhaps he would leave him stranded on the street, kick him out of the car in the middle of the night _or_ in the middle of the highway, play a stupid degenerate prank that might lead him to jail or even lure him into the alleyway and beat him up — he wouldn’t put it past him. 

But nonetheless, his eyes flicker meeting Johnny’s. For a swift moment, mouth hanging loose before closing, his mind did not process as he found his feet walking to the phone booth. 

Though, not hearing the excruciating _relief_ breath that Johnny was holding in. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi! > [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)


	18. the hardest part is the night. part 7. freeway.

The sound of near blaring honks and the screech of wheels echoed along the freeway. The night sky looked as if it was covered in a layer of black coal. Empty and far out of reach. His eyes scanned the darkness looming over them with hair slightly blowing in the wind, it was much colder in the night than he thought it would be. His eyes catch the taillights of vehicles, bright and blinding at times. 

Johnny’s hand at 12 on the steering wheel while the other cascade on his inner thigh before grabbing the stick shift his palm hovering over. Daniel didn’t know how far they were going or even which record shop. He didn’t care enough to ask perhaps knowing Johnny will say, “You’ll see.” To which he did after Daniel couldn’t not care, barely holding his curiosity within his grasp  _ anyways _ . Their voices didn’t fill in the silence placed between them, yet there wasn’t a deathlike stillness. It was filled enough by the bellowing sounds of the open freeway. 

“My place.” Out of nowhere, Johnny comments. Daniel can feel an undercut whiplash in the bone of his neck. Confused and demented lured over him. The two words had _ too  _ many hidden undertones. “W—what?” He chokes out, blinking at Johnny. 

His face turns half-way before turning to the freeway as his fingers clasp sternly around the wheel — a little tighter than usual. “The presentation thing. We can do it at my place.”

“No,” Daniel remarks, taking interest in the windshield before him. In his peripheral vision, he can see Johnny’s blonde fringe doing a double-take, perhaps flabbergasted. “No?” He questions, taken aback. “What’s wrong with my place?” He questions, tongue grazing over his teeth, almost as if he was ready to bark at Daniel with his defense mechanism at hand. 

“Everything.” Immediately regretting what he said. He bit his lips from saying anything further. He didn’t know why his mouth betrayed his mind as if he didn’t have a filter. In some cases, Daniel acknowledges he probably doesn’t. His mind rendered into overdrive as if he was over-thinking.  _ He was. _

He didn’t know why he said no. Perhaps he didn’t want to see his upper-class neighborhood or maybe he didn’t want to find any more reasons to dislike him as he already does  _ or _ just perhaps he just doesn’t the fuck know. It was just somehow his self-defense instinct kicking in to keep at a distance from Johnny — in any way he can. Well, that defeats the purpose since you’re practically hanging out with him right now, his inner voice ridiculed him. 

Daniel feels a backhand shove at his arm, interrupting his train of thought. His head turns meeting Johnny’s glance, “You heard what I said?” He says. Daniel couldn’t tell if there was a lace of annoyance or if that was just plain Johnny talking. 

“I—no.” He mumbles answering his question with his eyes back on the dashboard, feeling the car leaving the freeway to the ramp. “I said, why not your place then.”

Daniel involuntarily took a deep breath. He didn’t know why his mind was freaking out. And that somehow was freaking him out even more. Conceivably, he can already picture Johnny eyeing the crap out of his bedroom — perchance questioning the smallest shit out of it.  _ The wallpaper? Bedding? Books? Games?  _ It felt too invasive — the bully who gave Daniel a shiner is now sitting on his bed. The fuck not, Daniel concluded almost heaving an annoyed breath. 

Daniel keeps his mouth shut, hoping Johnny takes his hinted silence as an inexplicably the fucking no. 

_ He doesn’t.  _

“Hello, earth to Daniel — did the shake freeze your brain or what?” Johnny says half-teasing whilst feeling the tightness of his palm clenching around the wheel. Somehow even tighter. 

Daniel inwardly flinched, a stunned scoff leaves his breath as his eyes shifted meeting Johnny’s whose glancing between him and the road with a small smirk creeping on his face. The bastard said his name, Daniel thought. It sounded weird to him. Too foreign coming out of his mouth, he felt. 

Once more, his voice didn’t enter through his filter, already regretting his choice of words. “Your place, m’kay?” He mutters with his teeth biting into his lips as his hand coaxes his thighs in some-sort of comfort.

Johnny doesn’t utter a word in return, but in his peripheral vision, he can see the bounce of his blonde hair nodding slightly. Though, not noticing the tension of his fingers wrapped around the wheel lessened immensely. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	19. the hardest part is the night. part 8. 11:38.

It has been more than 15 minutes as their sneakers paced on the hardwood floor with hands delved into the rows of vinyl and cassettes. Daniel observed the interior before him, it was relatively dim-lit, cluttered with 2 floors yet organized with the number rows of music displayed. Daniel can see Johnny still cruising in the rock genre, his hands passing through each vinyl with his eyes reading the soundtrack. 

In a matter of minutes, the sales associate comes in and out asking if they needed help as well as mentioning the shop would be closed in 30 minutes before he disappeared into the distance behind the counter. It was late Daniel eyeing the metal lock, 11:38. He remembered the voicemail he had to leave on the machine, probably guessing that his mother was still at work. 

Somehow shockingly this was the longest they have been in each other’s presence without insulting one another, well _so_ far, Daniel concluded. He passes Johnny’s figure as he cruises to the cassette tapes section, he didn’t have much money on him _nor_ even owned a lot of music per se. It was a pretty lavish expense that his mother only bought on special occasions or if he had enough money saved up. He needed to get a job, Daniel mindlessly reminded himself. 

His hands found certain albums he hasn’t had the chance to listen to eyeing the listed songs, before setting it back down after seeing the tag. He held onto the new album, Wheels are Turnin’ cassette tape just a little longer — he can feel the self-infliction of whether he should hold out or just rip the damn bandit and stretch out his wallet there and then. Though, a slightly surprised wheeze leaves his breath as his eyes noticed the cost once more. His fingers reluctantly placed it back on the shelf as he turned halfway, noticing Johnny was still engrossed in the basket arms of vinyl he seemed to lay out before him.

A tsk leaves Daniel’s lips as his feet continue to pace leaving him further; he walks up the steps unknowingly entering the film section of the shop. It was much bigger than the one he used to go to in Newark, perhaps cleaner? — somehow the memory itself was blurred. He found himself lost in the genre rows of horror Alien, Jaws, Carrie. His hand grasps onto The Exorcist’s VHS eyes reading the synopsis. Whilst his hand carded through his dark hair as his mind debated whether he should rent it out so he can watch it during this weekend. 

His inner thoughts were jarred as he jumps startled with a mumbled shriek uncontrollably leaving his throat, he felt a hand touching his shoulder. He turns grasping onto the VHS tighter as if somehow it was a weapon he could possibly use. 

His brown ones meet the familiar blue eyes and blonde hair. 

“You okay?” Johnny says with a scoff, dropping his hand, with a grin half-amused by his startled exertion. Daniel pursed his lips as his eyes somehow traveled to Johnny’s hands noticing the stack of cassettes he piled against his abdomen. _Wheels are Turnin’ was one of them._ His eyes shot up meeting his amused-almost laughter gawked blue ones, “Yeah” he mutters, as he anchored his attention on the film tape in his hand. 

“You getting that?” His eyes raked to Daniel’s hand as he twisted his head half-way trying to read the font. “Er-I—not today.” He settled thinking he didn’t want to break his bank tonight. 

Johnny hesitantly nods, almost wanting to comment _something_ , but he ends up slightly slapping Daniel’s shoulder, “Let’s beat it, man,” he says shuffling away his feet exiting the narrow aisle. 

Daniel’s fingers place the film back on the shelf as he dragged himself through the aisle following Johnny. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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	20. the hardest part is the night. part 9. damsel.

Daniel shoves his hands into his pocket as his feet steps onto the asphalt ground. He steps forward in leading with Johnny that is until he abruptly stopped. He noticed his hands shifting cards in his wallet without appearing too nosey nonetheless, he swiftly turned heading in the opposite direction of his car.

What the fuck, Daniel concluded. “Uh—where are you going?” He stares at the behind of his jacket with his walkman slung over his shoulder. “I’m getting booze,” Johnny says over his shoulder.

Daniel blinks at him in bewilderment.

“What? How? You’re—” His mouth shuts seeing Johnny turn his figure, plastic bag in hand now gesturing to Daniel. “Just—” he shoves the plastic bag which contained the bought cassettes into Daniel’s palm, “Go wait over there,” Johnny says as if he was talking to a kid, his finger gestures to his car.

Perplexed written on his face, “What—I can’t go with you?” He questions feeling strange to stand by his car like a damsel waiting for their lover or somethin’.

“Not with that face.” Johnny hollers over his shoulder as he briskly walks through the short no more than a half-empty parking lot.

“Johnn—fuck” He growls (at Johnny who already entered the liquor) with irritation and feeling quite offended. A long sigh leaves his lips, as his feet uncontrollably kick the avanti’s forefront wheel.

“What’s wrong with my face?” He questions out loud trying to capture a glimpse of a reflection on the side door of the vehicle. He tilts his head, adjusting his hair until a voice scares the bejesus out of him. Bones jumping and all as he hears, “Nothing, man.” He turns his body halfway recognizing the person, the sales associate who is locking the door to the record shop.

He nods with embarrassed painted flushed cheeks as the man walks past.

“Christ,” Daniel mumbles under his breath.


	21. the hardest part is the night. part 10. the horror.

It was somehow as if the enclosed forest plagued the sky even darker than before. It has been more than 35 minutes of Daniel barking questions at Johnny — merely shouting bloody murder as to where the fuck they were going? “What are you gonna kill me, Lawrence?” Daniel mutters with exasperation, “Now…that seems like a good idea.” Johnny remarks eyes still facing the now gravel road ahead as the asphalt faded from view too long ago. 

Daniel could barely adjust to the sight before him only the headlights of the avanti were somehow leading them to _somewhere_. He can feel the slight fear crawling on his skin — not whether if he was going to be murdered, but rather being thrown out of the car and leaving him in the middle of fucking nowhere. It was eerily quiet, sometimes the rustle of leaves and trees twisting their spines echoes in the distance which makes Daniel do a double-take before questioning, “what was that?” He felt like he was smacked in the middle of a cliche massacre horror film and he was perhaps the dumb girl, who always dies first whereas Johnny was the egoistic jock, who would probably run away leaving Daniel to fend alone. Well, _shit_ , we are both going to die then, Daniel concluded.

His hand clenches around the tin metal of a beer can he has been chugging on feeling the heavy eyelids setting on his features. With his near hazed and buzzed mind, he confusedly debated merely for seconds whether to overtake the wheel in Johnny’s hands. Before his mind could even grasp onto an appropriate decision, the avanti turns once from gravel now back to asphalt. Somehow in that notion, it was clear enough to Daniel that they weren’t too far from civilization. He chuckles under his breath. “What? What’s so funny?” Johnny asks monotonously as he pulls the car to a halt into park, pulling the brakes in and dimming the headlights. 

They were in a fucking parking lot. 

“Nothing,” Daniel says with irritation. He looks around seeing…it was empty. The only source of light was the head-street lamps — flickering in and out. A sigh leaves his lips, “Isn’t this how horror movies usually start?”, Daniel questions eyes gazing at the parking lot light above them. 

Johnny follows his gaze, there was a silent pause before he spoke, perhaps he was ignoring Daniel’s comment. _nope_. “Usually they make-out first before they get killed,” Johnny mentions as Daniel hears the click of his beer can opens. 

Daniel’s jaw slacked open before closing until it opened again. He didn’t know why his voice betrayed his existence, but _it_ did. “Well—as long as we don’t do that tonight, we’ll be fine.” He mutters too loosely. 

Johnny chokes on his beer.


	22. the hardest part is the night. part 11. Past Midnight.

It was past midnight as Daniel fiddles with the radio for a hot minute ignoring Johnny’s choking to then a deep-throated cough, “What’s wrong with you?” Daniel asks as his face is painted with confusion. 

He continues to release shallow coughs, “I—stop” Johnny slaps Daniel’s hand away from the nobs, “—Stop touching my radio. You’re gonna break it.” He mutters under his breath whilst Daniel raises his hands in defense backing into the seat further. Johnny settles on a channel that echoed random guitar riffs, he didn't recognize the song but settled for what it is. 

“You want another?” Johnny asks as his figure turns towards the backseat, his blonde hair leaning forward and his red jacket straining his arms. Daniel hums staring into the unknown distant. His eyes couldn’t adjust to the trees ahead so he looked at the sky instead; he felt a cool metal sensation at the palm of his skin, he took the can not giving a glance to Johnny. 

“The killer is out there, isn’t he?” Daniel asks randomly as his thumb snaps it open. The taste immediately rushes down his trachea. “What?” Johnny questions, flabbergasted, and confusion gawked over his eyes. “In the movies, he would be out there—stalking us.” Daniel continues. 

Johnny blinks at him, questioning what the fuck has the alcohol triggered him. He scoffs, “I don’t think you’re worth stalking, LaRusso” He comments with amusement laced over his tongue. “Trust me—he’d get real tired with your shit yapping mouth—he’d probably throw you out of his car.” Johnny wheeze, feeling his lungs expand with each chuckle escaping his lips.

Daniel blinks at him, lips parted, jaw slacked—“At least I won’t die then.” He mutters trying to justify his over assertiveness talking mouth. “You’d die first,” Johnny claims as his hand stretch over the steering wheel. “What” he states offended, “I—”. Johnny’s voice interrupts him, “I’m a good runner and can do karate.” The palm of his hand hit the steering wheel as if he claimed and reassured some-sort of dominance over Daniel’s primitive being. 

Daniel scoffed under his breath, a little _too_ loudly, that Johnny quickly turns half-way in his seat facing him in his direction. He can see Daniel’s lips move with a linger of irritation and _perhaps_ amusement, “No—you would push me in front of the killer and save your own dumb ass.” Daniel pauses, searching for an answer lingering on Johnny’s face. At first, his blue eyes and tight knot lips were unreadable — that is until he can see the slow etching of his grin growing and eyes crinkled entertained by Daniel’s theory. 

“You piece of shit, you would, wouldn’t you?” Daniel exclaims as his hands rise in the air before he takes another long swallow from his beer can. 

Johnny laughs. It echoes in his avanti. 

Soon enough, Daniel’s felt his lips parted and slightly cackled under his breath. “God, you’re such a dick.”

“Like you wouldn’t.” Johnny retorts as the taste of ridicule laced around his lips.

“I—well—” Daniel stops his voice. Johnny notices the way how his brown eyes taking in the idea of it all, actually debating in his mind. Daniel tries to speak again but is interrupted by the rustled sound they both clearly heard.

Their mopped heads of hair turn to the obscure isolated sound.

"What was that?" Daniel whispers with a hushed hiccup. 


	23. the hardest part is the night. part 12. filled with desire.

“What was that?” Daniel asks once more as the set of slurred words past his lips. He blinks in the darkened sight barely grasping onto any motion. Johnny doesn’t say anything as he opens the avanti door, setting his feet on the asphalt with his drink in hand. He stills there for a moment, head tilted, like Daniel he was too staring into the darkened distance, “It’s just an animal. It’s nothing.” Johnny says turning while shutting the door, feet pacing to the trunk. 

Daniel continues to sip the rim of the metal can, “What—How would you know?” He takes his last chug before surveying the distance once more as his lips nervously tugged between his teeth. “I come here—sometimes.” Daniel hears a muffled comment from behind, he tilted his head forward, eyes narrowed quizzically as he blinked at the dashboard. “Why?” He ponders for an answer. It was met with silence, the only sound was a low murmur from the radio itself; hearing the familiar voice from Led Zeppelin. 

Daniel didn’t know why his mouth blurted these set of words _perhaps_ the curiosity was biting him in the ass, “Did you ever bring Ali here?” He questions as he tries to push down any animosity towards Johnny. His fingers clench around the can, feeling the metal giving in. _Christ_ , he needs another drink, his thoughts retaliated. 

Daniel didn’t know whether to be irritated or jealous. His stomach was churning. He knew that much. Whether it from the alcohol doing a number on him or the fact that Johnny and Ali could’ve fucked in this car— and he was sitting in it. He can feel his body maneuvering in the passenger seat, feeling uncomfortable and desirous as if it was some sinuous wave tossing in his abdomen. 

All he can feel like he was trying to do right now is to justify that it was before Daniel even entered the picture — fuck even way before he took one glance and thought about California until his mother mentioned it. How can you be distressed and fucking unsettled with someone who you did not know even existed more than 3 months ago? 

His bones flinch to the sharp sound of a trunk closing losing his train of thought. He can hear an irritated sigh coming from Johnny’s mouth, “No.” He states. Johnny walks to the passenger side before giving a slap to the backside of the dark brunette’s head. 

“Ow” Daniel mutters as little splatters of the third beer can he opened this night onto his blue jeans, “What the fuck is wrong with you?” He mumbles. “Don’t ruin the leather seats.” Johnny threatens standing above him. 

“Well, don’t—” he looks up seeing a soccer ball in Johnny’s hands tugged right to his lower torso, no jacket, just his black shirt. Daniel hiccups, forgetting what he was going to banter about. His brown eyes meet Johnny’s as he tilts his head to the open space before them. 

A sigh leaves Daniel’s lips as his fingers fiddle with the door handle.


	24. the hardest part is the night. part 13. down to the wire.

Daniel underestimated the amount of alcohol his body could take. He didn’t know what time it was or even barely grasp more than 15 feet in front of his body. His feet stuttered from time to time until he was able to kick the ball without falling. It was met with Johnny’s amused hums as his body seemed to swivel around Daniel’s. As somehow the night pulled even a darker shade above them, and the chills of the night creeping in further it has started to get difficult to do long-distance passes. So they settled for trying to steal the ball game. 

They were both out of breath as it echoes across the empty parking lot. Daniel can identify the heat exhausting out of Johnny’s figure as his blonde fringe now starting to stick to his forehead as a shade of pink invades his cheeks. Daniel can feel the creeping sweat lingering along his spine as his eyes felt heavy. He wasn’t belligerently drunk but he can feel the slow-motion of his actions crawling over his skin, eyes dawdling, yet his mind hyper-aware as he was now on his fourth beer. 

Daniel’s feet push the ball around until he felt an arm shove his and all he saw was asphalt in close sight. His hands welcomed the ground as his knees gave in. Above his ears, he can hear Johnny muttering, “Oh shit.” Daniel can see Johnny’s figure in forwarding motion trying to give him a helping hand. 

“I’m fine—thanks for asking,” Daniel murmurs with annoyance under his breath. With retaliation, he smacks Johnny’s hand away with a grunt as his feet place them back on the ground. Johnny raises his hand in the air as if he was surrendering with a pair of rolled eyes matching. 

Out of nowhere before Daniel even processed what his feet were performing, he shoves Johnny with his right shoulder against his whilst stealing the ball. “Wow, nice move LaRusso” his voice seethed with sarcasm as he stilled watching Daniel dribbles the ball within his feet. His body moves closer to the bumper of the avanti as the movement of Daniel’s feet almost taunted Johnny, daring to come _closer_. He did. 

His thighs throttled forward as Johnny’s hands grasp onto Daniel’s forearms forcing him to still as he kicked the ball into the distance. Their heads turn seeing the ball scattered as if it was swallowed up by the darkness. “I’m not getting that,” Daniel mutters between his teeth. A hum leaves Johnny’s lips as his hands hesitantly leave his forearms. 

His feet turn to pursue the ball, head turned until he can feel Daniel’s right leg lunge for Johnny’s thigh hooking under his calf before throwing him to the ground. Johnny’s eyes widen with a pained grunt leaving his throat. 

Shocked was the least of his worry, it was the fact he can feel the whiplash and the force push of his body to the asphalt. What started out as a minuscule pain in the center of his head now seared into his neck. “What the fuck.” Johnny mutters as his body lay on the ground staring at Daniel above with his etched grin spreading on his face. “Been wanting to practice on someone.” He says nonchalantly as he shrugs. 

Daniel’s back turns to Johnny as he walks towards the avanti’s bumper—his eyes trying to find the beer he placed on the asphalt beforehand. 

As if electrocution spiked through Johnny’s bones, he can feel his feet lunges onto the ground, so swiftly, feeling as if the rage within was boiling. Breaking through the surface like an egg cracking because it’s been cooked for too long. Scalding hot with unexpected arousal dripping down his spine and spreading through the layer of his skin. 

Johnny’s forearm slithers around Daniel’s neck. He chokes out in surprise as his feet tripped one over the other as his hands pull out before him touching the hood of the avanti to stop his body from falling forward. “Don’t ever turn your back on your opponent.” Johnny’s voice slips with a thick breath heaved over Daniel’s ear. Johnny tightens his hold as Daniel’s throat wheeze out a pained moan, “Christ Johnny.” 

_Something_ about it made Johnny loosen his grasp immediately. Perhaps his mind consciously caught up to the feeling of his thighs were pressed to his or hearing the way how the moan of his name fell from his lips or maybe the feeling the shape of his ass against his crotch. 

His feet take a step back, merely inches. As he can see the struggle of Daniel’s body turning meeting Johnny’s gaze. Daniel huffs out a breath, “You’re really trying to kill me.” He mutters lowly, breathing uneven, lashes fluttered slowly as his limbs leaned on the forefront of the hood with his legs widened flared out. His ankles feeling the touch of Johnny’s calves pressed his against the bumper of the car. 

He stares at Johnny’s who's standing still. He couldn’t decipher the conflicted expression painted on Johnny’s face. He questioned whether his mined warped a drunken hazed vision before him. All he can detect is the stillness of his features, tight knot lips as his opal eyes furrowed narrowly raking over Daniel’s brown ones to his parted lips. 

It almost felt as if it was in slow-motion as if it was down to the wire. Perhaps it was the alcohol lingering in his system, Daniel couldn’t tell.

But all he did know was that Johnny’s feet shuffled closer as he felt the rush of his hand hovers over to the hood of his car next to Daniel’s forearms with their thighs pressed against one another. 

His blonde fringe caress Daniel’s forehead as he felt the lips of his lowered onto his.


	25. the hardest part is the night when it ends. slippery when wet.

Johnny can feel the softness of his lips against his. Not moving, _shit_ , Johnny’s thought reflected quickly. He can feel his heart beating violently as it thrashed underneath his ribcage. Pumping and churning his bloodstream violently at a rapid pace—he felt as if he was going to heave out the alcohol in his system.

He felt the palm of Daniel’s hand touching his chest giving a push back. He let go of the blonde boy as if he burned himself. Johnny swallowed his egotistic pride as unnerve distress alarmed his mind. He is practically vibrating with tension, doesn’t give Daniel any inch to move—honestly he feels as if his legs lost the mobility to even take a step back. The limbs placed on each side of Daniel’s figure laid motionless. Daniel somehow felt frozen in time—paralyzed with shock and surprised with this revelation as he looks at Johnny.

There’s something about the feral gaze in Johnny’s eyes, about the way he’s fixated on Daniel. Unrestrained and possessiveness etched over his skin as if he was set to fire. Johnny’s expression stilled, watching Daniel’s eyes widen and unreadable with his tight lips stern. 

They stared at one another, unable to speak. Somehow the space between them feels claustrophobic like the air itself dissipated despite the fucking irony that they are outside in the middle of the night in a parking lot.

Daniel’s palm leaves Johnny’s chest as he rests it on the bumper of the car. Johnny can feel the struggle of his throat to swallow as his lips dry from the chilled air. He can feel in the deep pit of his stomach, searing hot, uncomfortable, and clawing desperately, making his throat fist around tighter and his cock twitched. 

He didn’t know what the fuck to think or do, Johnny’s mind renders endlessly. Daniel was still as if he was a cursed marbled statue. Their slow shocked breathing and eyes widened didn’t help to appease the situation at hand.

It was _fucking awkward_ to say nonetheless. 

Johnny’s body slowly and uncontrollably leans backward giving leeway. Immediately, he can feel Daniel’s hand shoves right under his neck holding him in place. Johnny couldn’t decrypt the disputed wrangled thoughts clouding over Daniel’s features. But he could tell the apprehensive demented, disoriented, and befuddled phasing over his eyes. He was flabbergasted, to say the least.

What it felt as if it long excruciating minutes passing was merely seconds as Johnny can feel his hand clench into a fist hard onto the bumper of his avanti. Though, slowly and reluctantly unfolded as he felt the palm of fingers carding to the side of his neck meeting the end of his blonde hair.

Daniel hesitantly and instinctively flinches bringing the other boy’s head to meet his. He can smell the alcohol entering his nostril as Daniel’s nervously raked over Johnny’s darkened eyes to his lips. 

They kiss again. At first, with eyes open staring at one another, it was almost a slow tortuous peck lingering as their stuttered breaths escape. 

That is until Daniel can feel the parted lips of Johnny’s encasing around his.

Daniel’s eyes fluttered closed to which Johnny follows as he felt his lips reciprocate. It was slow, tender until it felt as if it was a rubber band snapped into place. Instead of just kissing, they’re _kissing_.

Johnny’s figure leaned even further, one leg between Daniel’s while his leg was in between his own. Daniel’s spine uncontrollably slightly arched deeper into the forefront hood as Johnny presses his thigh into him. He stretched his body forward as his hands that were once fisted now clawed at the painted hood of his car. 

A slight unmanageable moan escapes his lips as he felt his crotch grazed over Daniel’s thigh. 

Daniel breaks the kiss heaving out of breath with his hands still in the comfort of Johnny’s neck. He glances over Johnny noticing the arousal before him. Without his mind processing his actions, he felt as if his own curiosity sneered whilst sending a match striking up a fire as he perks his leg higher meeting Johnny’s. 

Johnny’s jaw slacked, slightly hanging open startled yet fucking turned on, as his forehead immediately leans against Daniel for some sort of support. With one hand in his blonde hair, he grabs his right to the side of Johnny’s pelvic bone ushering him to move forward. 

A ragged heaved breath leaves his lips as his hips moved against Daniel’s thigh. Johnny can feel the strain of his cock buried in his dark jeans. His lips capture Daniel once more, rushed and fevered sprung his arousal. Their teeth thrashed as Johnny feels the wetness of Daniel’s tongue meeting his. A surprised choked noise leaves Johnny as he can feel Daniel’s mouth grasping onto his tongue whilst the palm of his hand pushes his ass into his thigh.

He was fucking humping against Daniel’s leg as if he was some dog.

Johnny realizes as if his mind had one flash of irritation and embarrassment like fucking hell is he going to come like this. But _he’s_ going to, the realization smacks him in the face. It was sharp and unsettling as he can feel the sheepish self-consciousness heat rushing to his cheeks as he pulls his mouth away, panting heavily in an empty parking lot. The sound reverberated into the chilled darkness.

Somehow, the little use of lighting alleviated and eased Johnny’s worrisome. It felt too meddling to see and observe Daniel’s aroused expression.

“ _Fuck,_ ” a struggled strained moan escapes Johnny’s lips as his hand grasp for Daniel’s torso for some-sort of reinforcement that this was his reality. Miserably turned on as their lips attached once more feeling the slick wetness coating and tongue lapping fighting in dominance. 

Johnny can feel the rush of roasted heat spreading over his skin as his brow furrowed in frustration. He realized he was going to come. He maneuvered his hips even deeper as he can feel the splayed hands of Daniel across his upper pelvis grasping onto his jeans. 

He detached his lips with ragged breathing air out of his nose as his head lowered into Daniel’s neck with his teeth captured his lips tightly—almost tasting blood. Desperately trying not to make any pathetic sounds break free from his throat.

As if there was a switch being snapped, he can feel Daniel’s hand pulling on his throat back. Somehow with his strength enforcing Johnny to opens his wide darkened pupil eyes seeing the furrowed brows of Daniel’s stare with his wet parted lips looking fucking speechless. He can feel the clawed fingers embedding in his jeans. 

Johnny’s hand clenches around Daniel’s torso as he can feel the rush of his crotch thrusting forward in faster motion. Threading on the lace of chasing his release. An uncontrollable strangled low-pitched moan between his teeth escapes his mouth sounding like gravel. 

_Oh_ , he realizes he’s absolutely going to; unbelievably and undeniably come right there onto Daniel’s thigh.

_Fuck.  
_

He shudders through it, muscles tensing as his mouth pants wetly against Daniel’s shirt against his sternum. He can feel Daniel's heavy breathlessness above his blonde fringe as he rides it out, one wave after another. Heavy breathing and spurting out of his nose as he tries to gulp any feasible air through his mouth. 

His mind garbled like jello, intangible and dizziness took over his vision as his inner voice screams, what _the_ fuck.


	26. bruised feeling.

Daniel feels the shiver of his bones reacting to the cold temperature laid on his head. He felt his brow furrow in confusion with a growing frown painted on his face. It’s all dark until his eyelids hesitatingly peeled back flinching to the artificial lights on the ceiling. 

He immediately closed his eyes as a pained groan emits from his lips willingly. He felt a razor-sharp affliction shooting from his neck creeping upwards to his cerebrum. 

Somehow, the ache in his head feels like it’s screaming, blending, and morphing with near-constant head and neck sting to create some sort of a symphony of suffering which howls and stabs feeling unbearable. 

His body flinches feeling a hand to his arm, he retaliates slowly opening his eyes in the direction of feeling a hooded figure adjacent to his. “Danny?” He hears his mother whispers. _Gently._ His mind processed the worrisome and pained concerned laced over his voice. He winces feeling a pressed-cold object to his head as his eyes meet his mothers’. 

“How are you feeling?” She says as her lips purse in thought. He muffles a grunt as he closed his eyes again barely moving as he felt his body was ripped in shreds then stitched back together — in all the wrong places. 

He felt a cloud of disoriented confusion laying over him as the darkness swallowed him once again. 

* * *

His brown eyes slightly flinch to the artificial light placed in the doctors’ hand flicking over his. Focusing and analyzing his dilated pupils as his gaze draped over his features — perhaps inspecting the noticeable bruised forehead and neck. 

Daniel flinches a little as he felt his spine slumped forward-leaning as he sat on what he can recall the hospital bed. “Okay, eyes seemed to be in good shape.” The doctor says as he clicks the light off. He takes a step-back as Daniel's eyes are barely focused on the doctor’s figure. 

He can feel his mother hovering over him with her too many anxious glances. The doctor huffs taking a step back, “The x-ray and MRI scans came back clean.” He can hear a relief breath escaping his mother’s windpipe nearly echoing his ears. “He’ll have a sore-neck and of course, a bruised head.” His hand gestures to the nasty bump. “Ice pack it. I’ll prescribe medication for the pain. His head will feel like an inflated balloon for a while.” He can hear a pen click and the chicken-scratch of the doctor’s handwriting on his notepad as Daniel stares at the floor — away from the over-saturated light. 

“That was some nasty fall.” The doctor states — mostly gesturing and initiating conversation with Lucille. “Yeah, the stairs outside our apartment can be slippery.” Her mother comments as if he is not within their presence. His memory recollected very few words his mother stated to him as he woke up adjusting to the four white walls and nurses coming in and out.

Long story short, a sort of a freak accident _really_ , whilst Johnny was knocking on Daniel’s door. Daniel’s feet somehow dwindled further away from Johnny’s figure and took a tumbling down. 

Or as his mother recalled for him, “Last night, you fell down the stairs and passed out.” His mind flinches trying to find its file recording of what happened — merely disturbed at the fact according to his mother, he was drunk and hung out with Johnny. _Out of all people,_ Daniel thought. “The whole night?” he remembers his voice croaks as he asked his mother.

The whole night he was with Johnny and he doesn’t recall any of it. He somehow felt a little relief of contentment not remembering the pain of his body being plunged down the flight of stairs. Or what Johnny was doing or felt, perhaps he laughed or maybe he lied and pushed him down the stairs instead, his thoughts imagined — or as his mother explained to him being drunk in the middle of the night and tripped over his feet. 

And the fact he was grounded, nonetheless. 

“His memory will slowly come in and out. I don’t see any potential of permanent damage.” One of the last set of words Daniel remembers the doctor declared. 

After spending the whole day at the hospital, it was merely 11:58 in the night, two minutes till it’s Sunday. His body welcomes him to the comfort of his own bed. As he closes his eyes flinching to the hazed memory flickering montages of blonde hair, undeciphered noises, and the smell of alcohol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, regular updates will resume tomorrow.
> 
> Hope you guys had a wonderful valentines' day/weekend! <3


	27. the day before the halloween dance. part 1.

Daniel’s hands shuffle through his notes before setting them into his locker. Ignoring the pesters of feet trampling behind him, the shouts of teenagers’ voices echoing endlessly as he continues to fiddle through his unkempt locker. He felt his back wince, still tender to the fallen accident as he grabs a grey binder from the lower shelf — debating whether to eventually organize the disarray of papers. He flicks his wrist checking the time remembering he was going to meet Ali in the gym to help decorate for the Halloween dance tomorrow. 

He had more than minutes to spare, so begrudgingly with an annoyed grunt echoing his throat his set of eyes and fingers palm through the endless papers — to which he should’ve organized weeks ago. Now realizing the fallen pain in the ass to remember these topics or even for which class it belonged to. His eye twitches as his memory recall two things; first, request class notes from teachers due to missing school yesterday. Second, debating whether and how to precisely explain to Coach Harris by the Doctor’s medical recommendation that he has to sit out of soccer and gyms for a week without making him lose his head in the process. 

He rolled his neck feeling the leftover traces of numbness and uncomfortableness he tries to ignore as his eyes and fingers dawdled over the scribbled writings that somehow he doesn’t even recognize anymore. 

It was then he felt his heart jumped out of his throat landing somewhere being trampled among the passerby’s feet. His shoulder flinches to the sound of his locker door being slammed as his own pair of sneakers step over themselves taking a step back. As a result of the frightening noise and scare, the bundled of notes placed loosely in his binder within his grasps has now flung to the air around them.

His brown eyes startled glances to the scattered papers before his feet whilst some flew in distant to then his eyes settling on a pair of washed-out jeans and white sneakers to which he somehow vaguely remembers who it belongs. It felt too familiar to Daniel as his memory recalls sneakers kicking a soccer ball and the dark night bashed over them. 

His eyes meet Johnny’s.

Daniel can feel the rush of surprise as he takes a deep breath through his teeth. Feeling the rising temper of irritation luring over him like a prized toy or some shit. “Christ, Johnny. Are you trying to kill me?” He mutters rapidly as his tender knees give in below meeting the ground. He felt the rush of his fingers swiftly grasping the ends of the scattered papers. Almost out of breath and as if there was some dazed fever slowly mulling over him. 

He doesn’t hear anything from Johnny. Which somehow made Daniel even more agitated than he is. He ignores the presence of his feet and his thighs leaning by his locker as an inaudible sigh leaves Daniel's lips. 

As he stands, gritting his teeth from barring a pained grunt. He glances around almost expecting his goons to be around. He can feel the rush of his bones tensed bracing for the impact of his goons’ annoyed stares, shoves, and tantrum voices — but there was no one. Johnny was here alone and evidently by choice. 

Daniel’s gaze barely crosses over Johnny’s — though he was still able to capture a glance of the quizzical expression now looming over him. He was in thought, Daniel concluded before uttering his question, “What do you want?” 

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi! > [Film-isastory](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/film-isastory)
> 
> Let me know what you think! :)


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